The thesis deals with the social and cultural significance of the practice of preparing, drinking, and sharing yerba mate (mate tea) among Argentine and Paraguayan immigrants in Barcelona. The theoretical foundations of the thesis, which include Turner's concepts of communitas, Bourdieu's habitus, Peggy Levitt's social remittances, and Mauss's gift theory, are complemented by an ethnographic study conducted in Barcelona. The research data was gathered through eleven semi- structured interviews and participant observation during shared gatherings (mateadas). In the introductory part, the author outlines the context of Argentine and Paraguayan migration to Barcelona and describes the historical, technical, and ritual aspects of the beverage's preparation. The work then focuses on the analysis of ethnographic material through four key perspectives: mate as an everyday routine, as a gift and reciprocal exchange, as a transnational identifier and intercultural bond, and as material culture that reconstructs a sense of home in exile. The thesis demonstrates how this practice
is preserved and adapted in Barcelona, and how it diffuses to the local population through interpersonal relations and social remittances. Above all, the study aims to show that yerba mate is
not just a beverage for immigrants, but an indispensable social glue that co-creates a sense of belonging regardless of geographical distance from home.
|
