TEJANO MONUMENT UNVEILED AT STATE CAPITOL

By: Ricardo E. Calderon©

For over 500 years, Tejanos have had a presence in the State of Texas starting with Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda who was the first to map the Texas coastline in the early 1500s to the Spanish and Mexican settlers and missionaries who helped colonized and settled Texas and fought for Texas independence from Mexico to today’s bustling growing minority destined to become the majority in the future in Texas. Tejanos include all persons of Spanish and Mexican descent in Texas.
The State of Texas unveiled on Thursday, March 29, 2012, a 250-ton monument honoring Tejanos’ contributions to the state at the South Lawn of the State Capitol in Austin, Texas.
Governor Rick Perry stated at the dedication ceremony that “this important monument reflects a larger truth about the origins of Texas, about the contributions of so many Hispanic citizens to the creation of the state we love and the lives we share.”
The 250-ton ten piece giant Tejano monument was sculpted by Laredo sculptor Armando Hinojosa. The Tejano monument includes a Spanish explorer, a Vaquero on horseback, two longhorns, a Tejano couple with a young son pulling a goat and a daughter feeding a lamb. The monument reflects the Tejanos introduction of horses, cattle, farming, and ranching in Texas.
The Tejano monument was the brainchild of McAllen physician Cayetano Barrera who visited the State Capitol in 2000 and noticed that none of the 18 statutes honored Tejanos in Texas. Dr. Barrera and friends started a foundation to request the Texas Legislature to authorize the Tejano monument and to raise funds for the monument.
In 2001, the Texas Legislature approved the Tejano monument project and authorized $1 Million towards the project. The remainder of the $2 Million cost of the project was raised by the Tejano Monument Foundation founded by Dr. Barrera.
Over 1,000 persons attended the unveiling ceremony held on Thursday, March 29th. State Representative Richard Raymond Peña, Democrat of Laredo, served as Master of Ceremony at the historic dedication ceremony.
Now, all Texans and visitors to the State Capitol can learn and appreciate the significant contributions made by Tejanos in the past, present, and future in the State of Texas.