Native Texans (Houston, Austin, Alamo: college, live, rated)

[UnfairPark]

How many of you consider yourself native Texans? What does it mean to be a native? Do you consider a 20 year old kid of recent migrants who was born and raised in Texas a native? How many of Native Americans are left in Texas? From what I see, most calling themselves natives are offspring of European settlers who moved here few generations ago, are they really more native than the kid who knows nothing of his parent's nativeland. How many of you still call yourself German or Polish etc?

[Austinite76]

I'm second generation American, first generation Texan, of Irish descent.

I consider anyone a "native" that considers themselves to be a Texan, not just a resident of Texas. If they embrace what it means to be a member of the Republic and consider anyone from the outside as just a fellow American.

[C24L]

Hello I am a native Texan.I was born here in this state.I think you have to be born in Texas to be a native Texan.I still consider myself German even though my ancestors left Germany generations ago.

[TexasTony]

The real question is how many people from Louisiana (Cajuns) consider themselves native Texans because there are so many of them out here.

[stanwood]

Simply if you were born in Texas then you're a native Texan.

I was born somewhere else but I've livered here 50 years. I consider myself a naturalized Texan. All my kids and my wife were born here so they're native Texans.

[radiolibre99]

Born and raised proud Texan. You don't have to be born here but there is an ethos about this place that you'll either love or hate. If you love it, then you'll fit right in.

For instance, I was born here but took the state for granted, and had always wanted to leave because I bought into the image that Texas was the pits and the world was where it's at. And granted this was before the "Texas miracle" so Texas was really cowpoke.

A college friend of mine from Massachusetts had always had an affinity for the South, for some odd reason, and felt the North was stuffy and too traditional, so he moved down to Texas and fell in love with it and never left. He lives in Austin and has no desire to return back up to the Northeast. I suspect he's rare but he is Texan through and through to me.

Second example, I was watching a video about the Vietnamese community in Houston and they featured a Vietnamese family who immigrated to Texas in the 70s. Their sons came in halfway through the interview and they spoke with a total Texan accent and had 'Texas Love it or Leave it' stickers on their trucks. I smiled and said, THOSE ARE TEXANS. LOL.

Everyone of every nation, region or culture just wants to have some cohesion. Maybe it's a tribal thing, but people just want others to adapt and love where they're at rather than just complain. I am not saying that you have to love it or leave it, that's too much, but you can't blame a native for liking it when someone else absorbs and grows to love their culture.

Texas is one of the few states in the country that feels as though it's its own country. So people tend to feel proud for being natives, but that doesn't make one a Texan, it's more about the culture. It doesn't have to be cowboy kicker culture either.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by stanwood

Simply if you were born in Texas then you're a native Texan.

I was born somewhere else but I've livered here 50 years. I consider myself a naturalized Texan. All my kids and my wife were born here so they're native Texans.

That's technically how it works. If you have a birth certificate certifying that you were born in Texas, you can legitimately claim to be a "native." Otherwise, you're illegitimate!

[malcorub16]

I was born in South Texas, my father was born in South Texas, my father's father/mother were born in South Texas.

My mother is from Michoachan, Mexico but has lived in Texas for 50 years.

I am Hispanic, I am Mexican, I am Tejano, I am American.

I live mostly in California and quit saying "y'all," BUT I'M A TEXAN!!!!!!!!!!!

[Austinite76]

Originally Posted by joqua

That's technically how it works. If you have a birth certificate certifying that you were born in Texas, you can legitimately claim to be a "native." Otherwise, you're illegitimate!

So. By that logic. Bowie, Crockett and the vast majority of the defenders of the Alamo weren't Texans. Good to know, glad they fought for the freedom of the Republic anyway.

The ethos of Texas has always been that you were welcome with open arms if you were here to be a Texan.

[KathrynAragon]

I was born in New Orleans and grew up in the southeast, but I moved to Texas 25 years ago when I was 30. I am not a native Texan because I wasn't born here (and I'm proud to be a native of New Orleans so no worries). But I do consider myself to be a Texan since I've spent going on three decades here. I feel Texan. I like it here and I'll probably live here till the day I die.

But I'm not a native Texan, and I'm not losing any sleep over that.

I consider myself American of basically British stock. Actually if you want to know the truth, I'm a Viking - all my ancestors come from countries surrounding the North Sea (and I have the DNA report to prove it - from Finland, to Scandinavia, to Northern Germany and northern France to England, Scotland and Ireland). But most of my ancestors moved here from Europe and the UK in the 1600s and early 1700s so yeah, I'm totally American.

And while I'm not a native Texan, I did have an ancestor who fought in the battle of Goliad so that ought to count for something - LOL.