Apropiación cultural el nuevo mundo de los migrantes: un estudio etnometodológico en Tabasco, México

This qualitative research analyzes the phenomenon of cultural appropriation among migrants settled in the state of Tabasco, Mexico, through an ethnomethodological approach. The study examines how migrants reconfigure their cultural identity when interacting with the host Tabascan society, and how this process fosters a reciprocal exchange that transforms both the migrants' culture and that of the native population. Interviews were conducted with migrants from China, Honduras, Colombia, and Venezuela, as well as with Tabascan natives who maintain regular contact with them. The applied methodology involved semi-structured interviews with migrants who met the outlined criteria and with locals born in the state of Tabasco who had social relationships with migrants. These interviews were carried out in various locations within the municipality of Villahermosa, the capital of the state of Tabasco, where a large number of migrants currently transit due to its status as a border state. The results reveal that cultural appropriation primarily occurs in three areas: language (linguistic expressions), economy (employment and economic adaptation), and traditions (festivities, gastronomy, and religion). This process of cultural appropriation is manifested as an adaptive strategy that enables settled migrants to integrate into their new context, while simultaneously contributing elements of their original culture, thereby enriching Tabasco’s sociocultural fabric.