One of the most popular brands in Argentina is the family-owned Amanda company, known mainly for its yerba mate and rice production. It was founded by Jan Szychowski, known as Don Juan and the king of Argentine yerba mate.

From Borszczów to Apostolov
The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries saw an intensification of emigration throughout the world. Not only the United States, but also South American countries followed the breadline. At the time, Argentina was a fairly stable country economically, although it was struggling with demographic problems. Therefore, the authorities organised special actions and assistance centres for all those who decided to come here.

Julian Szychowski, a miller, also took advantage of these facilities and with his entire family - his wife Karolina and several children, including 10-year-old Jan - set off overseas. In 1900, they left Borszczow (then Austro-Hungarian Galicia, today Ukraine) and arrived in Buenos Aires. In the capital, they were housed in the famous Hotel de los Inmigrantes (Hotel of the Immigrants), where medical care, board, lodging and, in time, workshops awaited the newcomers from the world. However, this was not the end of their journey, as the Szychowskis soon set off on foot to a post-Jesuit settlement called Apóstoles, in the north-east of Argentina. They were not alone, as 20 other families came with them, and the first Polish emigrants had already settled there three years earlier, at the end of the 19th century.

Jan Szychowski in Argentina, or the wheel of fortune turns
Initially, it was very difficult for the newcomers to live in Argentina. The climate was completely different, the flora and fauna were different. Instead of the plants they knew, the settlers planted cassava, beans and sweet potatoes. It also took two years for the maize they planted to bear fruit; it was a struggle against ants and capybaras destroying the crops. In such circumstances there was no time to think about school and John, called Juan in Spanish, had to forget about education. However, he was a self-made talent and - despite his lack of formal education - he did not stop learning. At first he worked as a helper for the local blacksmith, but by the time he was 18 he had set up his own workshop. He was now able to develop his talents in an almost unlimited way.

Whatever Szychowski needed - machine parts, tools, even a single screw - he produced everything himself, with his own hands. Among other things, this resulted in the first lathe built entirely in Argentina; previously, they had been imported from abroad. The young Pole also built machines for grinding rice, making cassava starch or, finally, grinding and sorting yerba mate. All of these contributed to a real improvement in the livelihood not only of his family, but also of the entire local community, for Jan Szychowski never thought only of himself.

Memories from that time show that the local diaspora stuck together and every Pole found employment in Szychowski's La Cachuera enterprise. What is more, when our inventor constructed a dam on the Chimiray River for his company to supply the factory with electricity, the electricity - like the telephone line later - was used by all the inhabitants.

Polish yerba mate
Legend has it that the goddesses of the Moon and the Pink Cloud decided to come down from the heavens and see how life was on Earth. Here, they were surprised by a jaguar and there is no telling how it would have ended for them if not for a helpful old man. In gratitude, the goddesses gave him a bush with miraculous properties. This particular 'magic' plant is the evergreen Paraguayan holly, the infusion of which is a healthier alternative to coffee.

If we had to name just one product that Don Juan, or Jan Szychowski, became famous for, it would definitely be yerba mate. This is one of the most widely grown plants in South America, which is why the Szychowskis also took up its production, which brought them fame and money. And here again, thanks to the inventor's brilliance, the entire time- and labour-intensive procedure for obtaining the dried product was significantly automated, for which the local government awarded Jan Szychowski the Order of Yerba Mate in 1960. On the other hand, as early as 1936, the Polish authorities recognised him by awarding him the Bronze Cross of Merit, and in 1956 he became an honorary member of the National Geographic Society. Today, Jan Szychowski is called the king of Argentine yerba mate.

Jan Szychowski - museum in La Cachuera
In La Cachuera, the visitor's attention will be drawn to the ubiquitous greenery - magnificently maintained lawns, bushes and exotic flowers, among which antique vehicles are placed here and there. Near the entrance gate to the estancia, as large farms are called in Argentina, called La Cachuera, there is a wooden chapel with an image of the Merciful Jesus. Further on, two single-storey, brick, unplastered buildings with large windows and shade-giving canopies can be seen. The Chimiray river flows nearby, its current dammed up by the Kaplan turbine built by Jan Szychowski.

Memorabilia of our compatriot - both a skilful entrepreneur, inventor and benefactor - can be found in the Museo Histórico Juan Szychowski, which was established here in 1997. The date of the building's creation was no coincidence. It was the centenary of the arrival of the first settlers from Poland and the lands of today's Ukraine to the province of Misiones and the city of Apóstoles. Interestingly, two years earlier, the Argentine parliament, the National Congress, had already declared 8 June as Polish Settlers' Day.

At the entrance to the museum is a bronze plaque, unfortunately only in Spanish. It proclaims: Museo Histórico Juan Szychowski 1997 / Homenaje de sus descendientes y de la Cachuera S.A a un ejemplo de vida y trabajo. [Museum Juan Szychowski 1997 / Homage of his descendants and La Cachuera S.A. to his life and work - translated by the author].

Historical photographs - of both Szychowski, his wife, children and the first arrivals from Poland - are displayed on the brick walls. Other photographs document the establishment and development of the company. What deserves special attention, however, are the material objects. They are a multitude of tools, machines, vehicles. Thus, we will see the carros polacos, or simply ladder carts, famous throughout Argentina, as well as plant presses, sieves and even a baby cot, made by Szychowski's own hand. There was also a lathe, for which engineers from all over Argentina still flock here today. On site, you can also sip the infamous Amanda yerba mate and see in old engravings how the drink was enjoyed in the past.

La Cachuera today
When visiting La Cachuera, remember that the red and white colours are not only the flag of Poland, but also the colours of the world-famous Amanda yerba mate packaging produced by the Szychowskis. After the founder's death in 1960, the company was taken over by his sons, giving the corporation the name Amanda, but the colours themselves no one dared to change.

The company now ranks second nationally as a tea exporter. Meanwhile, the provincial government of Misiones again commemorated Jan Szychowski in 1999 by awarding the 'Andresito' decoration and prize in recognition of his achievements. In the same year, the Szychowski family donated a computer lab to the local technical school in Apóstoles, which was named after Don Juan Szychowski.

While visiting the museum in La Cachuera, it is also worth visiting other Polish centres in this most tropical part of the country, with familiar-sounding names: Wanda or Polana. Then, we will fully understand the saying that still functions in Argentine culture today: "Where no-one can do anything, send a Pole.