Tejano Origins in Mexican Texas — 7
Mexican Independence Day was one of the major themes of the year. By 1825, it had been officially ordered that the 16th of September would be a national feast of "the first grito [proclamation] of independence." This celebration was a highlight of the year for Tejanos. The festivities involved a three-day celebration starting on September 15 with a torchlight parade, a cannonade and the ringing of church bells. The next day began with a solemn Te Deum mass, a day parade, speeches, and the official reenactment of the grito. Prisoners were released, troops paraded, and se-oritas were officially invited to the gran baile or grand ball, sometimes called a fandango. At the fandango, a señorita Tejana could dance and display her fine dress. The Tejana wore one of the most distinctive, though seldom recognized of Mexico's regional costumes (trajes tipicos). The formal announcement to the fandango was a colorful affair, much like a parade, called a convite or invitation. The young men of the city rode in a group on gaily decorated horses through the streets, playing the guitar and singing as they went. The third day terminated the activities with all the citizens dressed in mourning to attend a "mass for the departed." Throughout all of these activities, the Junta Patriotica was responsible for refreshments, music, and official speeches.iii Tejano water law also amply illustrates the Tejanos' development of local self-government. Their Hispanic background had given the Tejanos an highly developed philosophy on water management. Drawing on this tradition, the Tejanos created local water systems which they governed by basic principles of ancient law. In so doing, the Tejanos instituted the first adaptation of European civilization to the semiarid environment of Texas. More than a century later, the Anglo would add the advantages of technology to the acquisition and control of water. The result was a combination which would become one of the many distinctive traits of Texas. In fact, few institutions demonstrate as vividly as water law the historical genius of Texas for combining Mexican traditional culture with Anglo technology.
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