Overview

• Households have been macerating ruda leaves in caña blanca since early July to have the infusion ready for the dawn ritual on August 1.
• Liquor shops, dietéticas and online vendors are increasingly offering pre-mixed caña con ruda bottles to serve urban consumers and those short on preparation time.
• Participants traditionally consume the infusion in ayunas with three sips at dawn, but customs vary by region and the ritual can extend until August 15 using ruda tea or purification baths.
• Tucumán’s Ministerio de Salud cautions that ruda can irritate the stomach, liver and kidneys and advises that children, pregnant women and people with renal, hepatic or cardiovascular conditions avoid it.
• The ritual originated with Guaraní communities in Misiones and Corrientes as a defense against winter illnesses and is now intertwined with the Día de la Pachamama veneration nationwide.