Representations of Syrian food by Syrian refugees in the city of São Paulo, Brazil: An ethnographic study

The civil war in Syria began in 2011 and there is currently no prospect of resolution. This has led to an intensive forced migration. Due to the agile Brazilian policy of issuing visas, the Syrians became the largest group of refugees living in Brazil. Although migration might have a significant effect on eating practices, there are no studies analyzing eating practices, including the sociocultural representations of these practices to Syrian refugees. Thus, we aimed to analyze the representations of what is Syrian food for Syrian refugees who have Syrian food-based enterprises in the city of São Paulo. We conducted a qualitative study, with ethnographic design, using semi-structured interviews and participant and non-participant observation. The ten participants were of Syrian nationality; have taken refuge in Brazil since 2011 and had some type of enterprise with Syrian food in the city of São Paulo. We obtained seven themes that encompassed the native and meaningful category of Syrian food: 1) variety; 2) the hand that makes the food had to be Syrian; 3) ingredients; 4) the food presentation; 5) social preference for omnivorism; 6) labor and; 7) connection with the nuclear and extended family. In Brazil, as refugees, the Syrian food made them ‘feel at home’ and seemed to become a point of reference and a bridge, allowing them to continue perceiving and recognizing themselves as Syrians.