Texas Culture

Texas Culture

When the three of us decided to use Texas as our micro-culture, I thought it was a great idea. I am not a Texan, since by definition to be a Texan, you must have been born in Texas, no exceptions (http://www.texas-best.com), but do consider myself an honorary Texan.

My first experience with Texas was around 1983 when I visited the state. I was traveling quite extensively at that time and most of Texas was included in those travels. I had previously been in several other states in our nation but none seemed to compare to the great State of Texas. Things were just different in Texas. The people were different, the culture was different and the image of Texas, portrayed by the people, past and present is equal to no others.

Texas has a rich and long history and much of it has passed through the state over the years to become a part of its folklore. This Texas folklore is part of many cultures within the state and has even filtered outside the state. The first cultural influence on Texas was from the Paleo-American Indians. When these Indians arrived they were in a bit of a culture shock when they met the Spanish in the 16th century. In the following centuries, more people began to arrive in Texas and they brought new ways of talking, believing and doing things. The Spanish and the Mexican set the patterns south of Nueces and along the Rio Grande. Anglos brought their ways of life from the British Isles to the South and Eastern part of Texas. African Americans who came to work on the plantations on the Brazos and Trinity bottoms brought songs, stories and beliefs that came with them from Africa. Germans came directly from the Old World to the Hill Country, Cajuns came from France and eventually through Louisiana and settled in Southeast Texas. The Dutch, Danes, Polish, Czechs, Norwegians who also came here brought with them their ways of life and they all became bound together to become part of Texas. By the year 2000, Texas was made up of 54.5% Anglos, 31% Hispanic, 11.4% African Americans and another 3.1% of other ethnicities.

Much of what Texas is today is because of the people who settled her land. Crafts such as quilting and the Texas Star pattern, dance like the Cotton-Eyed Joe and even the way Texans still hunt today can be traced back to the Middle Ages.