Tejano. What does that one singular word mean? Well if you look it up in the Urban Dictionary here’s the quick and dirty version:
Originally someone of Mexican descent who was born and/or raised in Texas. Used to distinguish them from people from Mexico (Mexicanos). A type of music based upon the button accordian and greatly influenced by the German bands of New Braunfels, Seguin, and Fredericksburg.
But take a closer look. Ask somebody who was born and raised or proudly lives in the state of Texas, and the answer will likely be a lot more substantial. The thing is, one really can’t put one’s finger on the feeling that truly comes from being a Tejano. And well, while that may come off a tidbit cocky, en serio, it’s really anything but that.
This week we were celebrating the first ever Hispanicize event in the city of Houston, and the conversation sort of just came up. To paraphrase, the expression that kind of stuck with us from that conversation went a little something like this. “You Texans are probably the only ones who so proudly claim being from your state.” I mean sure, we’re each proud of representing our cities as well. Whether we’re from Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, the Valley, or anywhere else in the state. Pero there’s definitely a sense of pride and unity when we say we’re from Texas too – be it by describing ourselves as Tejanos, Texans, or even Tex-Mex. And that’s really the beauty in that palabra.
Our deep sense of community and union.
The fact that so many from around the state turned out for this event is proof of that. And now, we’re looking ahead at all the possibilities that 2016 and beyond bring to us as Latinos in Texas, creating our own future, and redefining what it means to be among the largest Latino populations in the country.
O sea, things are about to get interesting!
