The toquilla straw hat: from object of use to symbolic capital

Abstract

In a context where the artisanal production of the toquilla straw hat faces the challenges of global capitalism and industrialization, this study analyzes how this object has transitioned from its everyday and local use to its incorporation into transnational markets as a luxury item and, more recently, to its re-signification as symbolic capital. The aim of the study is to understand the dynamics of production, commercialization, and re-signification of the hat in relation to the historical and economic processes that have transformed its value. The methodology includes a review of secondary sources to contextualize its historical and economic development, as well as an ethnographic approach to describe the social and cultural practices associated with artisanal weaving. The main findings show that the value of the toquilla straw hat has evolved depending on the labor and economic conditions that have historically shaped its production. In this way, the toquilla straw hat retains its use value, which alternates with its exchange value, thereby shaping its symbolic capital through the combination of local identities and exchange value. Nevertheless, the hat still represents an opportunity to rethink the relationship between artisanal tradition and globalization within the framework of cultural tourism.