About

The Story

            Tejanos are native Texans who have resided within the state’s boundaries for many generations. Originally from Spain, Tejanos began settling in the Southern part of the United States during the Texas Revolution (Clark, 2021). The term Tejano (masculine) or Tejana (feminine) is a designation or identifier for those who are rooted deep in the heart of Texas.

            After the Texas Revolution, many Tejanos turned to farming and ranching to earn a living. Early in the 20th century, there was a labor shortage of agricultural workers right around the period of World War I from 1914 to 1919 (Library of Congress, n.d.). Many Tejanos were American citizens and turned to picking crops to make a living. For decades, grandparents, parents, and children would pick cotton, broom, fruits, and anything to bring in money.

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            Picking crops meant missing school for periods of time. This forced many students to withdraw with an elementary education. Some never had the opportunity to attend school and would remain illiterate their entire lives.

            These stories need to be told. There are many stories of the Bracero Programs which helped Mexicans come to this country to seek work and provide for their families (Martin, 2020). The stories of those who were American and Tejano remain untold in books and archives. This is an attempt to salvage the stories of those who remain and who can be referred to as the last generation of migrant workers.

            Tejano folklore, food, medicine, music, and values are important to be documented. Tejano food is not Tex-Mex food. It is the food of poor migrant workers that fed large families and attempted to keep them full for a hard day’s work. The Tejano medicine lives on today as a first attempt to heal someone before going to the doctor. Curanderos played an important part in taking care of their people.

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            The phrase Tejanos con Ganas is rooted in Tejano values. Tejanos were taught to do everything with maximum strength and effort, or “con ganas.” Generations today received many Tejano values from their ancestors. Tejanos know the value of hard work, determination, entrepreneurship, and respect. It is important to be dedicated to whatever you do and to pursue an education. Education will allow for new opportunities.  

References

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Britton, K. G., Elliott, F. C., & Miller, E. A. (2020, October 7). TSHA | Cotton Culture. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/cotton-culture

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Clark, C. (2021, October 7). Understanding Tejano History. Texas A&M Today. Retrieved April 9, 2020, from https://today.tamu.edu/2021/10/07/understanding-tejano-history/#:%7E:text=The

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Davis, J. L. (2013). The Tejanos. The Institute of Texas Cultures. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.depts.ttu.edu/international/intlopr/k-12geo/documents/prepost_resources/GTT/GTTPreVisitActivitySpanish.pdf

Library of Congress. (n.d.). Research Guides: A Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United States: 1942: Bracero Program. Retrieved April 23, 2022, from https://guides.loc.gov/latinx-civil-rights/bracero-program

Martin, P. (2020, July 20). Mexican Braceros and US Farm Workers. Wilson Center. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/mexican-braceros-and-us-farm-workers

National Geographic Society. (2013, November 11). Dec 29, 1845 CE: Texas Becomes a State. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/dec29/texas-becomesstate/#:%7E:text=Background%20Info%20Vocabulary-,

On%20December%2029%2C%201845%2C%20Texas%20became%20the%2028th%20state%20in,to%20political%20divisions%20over%20slavery.

Winders, R. B. (2016, April 22). The Capture of Santa Anna - The Alamo. Medium. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://officialalamo.medium.com/the-capture-of-santa-anna-83454a5ffdc5