A tropical South American tree that produces berries used to make a mildly psychoactive drink in indigenous cultures.
From the Tupi language of Brazil, where it originated. The word entered English through Portuguese traders and anthropologists studying Amazonian peoples, bringing knowledge of indigenous plants and practices.
Amazonian indigenous peoples have been using açaí, guarana, and similar plants as natural energy sources for centuries, and now multi-billion dollar health drink companies are selling the exact same berries to Western consumers—a remarkable example of traditional knowledge becoming trendy capitalism.
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