Texas honors Tejano culture

Texas now has a part of history that was never recognized. But it will now be out in the front of the capitol for all to see and learn about Tejano culture.

The completed Tejano monument. From tejanomonument.com

On Thursday was the unveiling of the Tejano Monument at the Texas State Capitol. It represents the Tejano culture that once prevailed and still prevails here in Texas. According to writer Cindy Casares from News Taco, "after 500 years, Texans of Hispanic ancestry are officially recognized by the state of Texas." 


I didn't go to the unveiling due to conflicting scheduling and still haven't seen the monument. But I did attend the conference the day after the unveiling, in which several people who have specialized in Tejano culture gave lecture lessons about important issues. 


I had the opportunity to sit in a lecture session called, "Tejanos under the Mexican Flag, 1821 a 1836," given by Dr. Andres Tijerina. 


Dr. Tijerina talked about the importance of having such culture represented.


"We need to let people know the capitol belongs to us," said Tijerina. "Tejano history is important."


I was amazed and also surprised about history that I never had been taught to me. Dr. Tijerina said he wanted to study Tejano history because no one talked about Texas when it was from Mexico.


The lecture focused on the Mexican influence that was in everything that Anglo ranchers did. The professor of Austin Community College mentioned how Anglo ranchers would have never survived in Texas if it wasn't for what the Mexicans that lived here taught them. 


I also didn't understand what a being a Tejano meant. But as I talked to one of classmates who considers herself a Tejana, I understood that Tejanos are proud of their roots of being Mexican but also are proud of being from Texas. Texans who have family since Texas was even part of the United States. 


It's good to see the representation of what had been silent for a long time.