Once upon a time in Texas by Mable Cash 7-4-08

About 30 years after Columbus arrived in the Americas, European explorers and adventurers from more than 25 countries were leaving Europe to seek their fortune in the “New World.” Spain was among the first to arrive on Texas shores. Spain and France both settled parts of Texas territory. But the largest migration of Europeans to Texas occurred in the mid-1800s, after Texas had become a part of the United States. Many came from crowded cities and set sail for the “land of opportunity,” bringing with them their cultural habits and customs. Immigrants from Germany, Poland, France, Norway, Greece, Italy and Belgium spoke a variety of languages. Each group favored different foods and their own way of doing things.

After arriving on the Texas coast, they gathered their belongings and many walked hundreds of miles to find land on which to settle. Only the hardy survived the weather, sickness and battles with Indians who were upset over claims on their territory.

Meanwhile, as the Europeans arrived by sea, Anglo-Americans were arriving in Texas by horse, stagecoach, covered wagon and even by foot. Their journeys were filled with adventure and pain. They were coming from Tennessee, Alabama and other southern states, some searching for a better life, some running from the law or from unpaid debts. No matter the reason they came, they set out to claim a plot of property in Texas! Most of these settlers were Americans of English, Scottish or Irish ancestry. Their arrival set off more land disputes with the Native American Texans and battles were fought over this issue. Sam Houston befriended both the Anglo-American Texans and the Native-American Texans and created peace treaties to prevent more bloodshed. But the United States Government would not allow Houston to honor every treaty.

The Anglo American settlers built several styles of houses, most of the structures were built of natural resources, like logs and stones. The most popular design used by the settlers in early Texas was the “dog-trot” style. An open space separated the two rooms of the structure, all covered by a single roof. This design allowed breezes to flow through the cabin during the hot Texas summers.

(This space often served as sleeping quarters for guests and or the family dogs.)

“Ahmo” is a Texanese word meaning a notice of intent, as “Ahmo hit you upside the head if you don’t quit that!”

A Texas grandpa explains courtesy to his young grandson…”Never ask a man if he’s from Texas. If he is, he’ll tell you. If he ain’t, no need to embarrass him.”

Did you know that the land area of Texas is 267,339 square miles, which is 7.4% of the land area in the United States?

Once upon a time in Texas by Mable Cash 6-27-08

Texas is filled with adventuresome people whose ancestors with a thirst for freedom, built a legendary state. They will be remembered for a bit of their heritage lives on and has become a part of Texas culture that we share. Our blended culture reflects a variety of values, ideas, beliefs and customs. Like threads of a woven tapestry, the various cultures add interest, color and beauty to our ethnic work of art with this combination. Texas can boast a rugged but romantic history. Texas has embraced both indigenous and immigrant people.

The original Texans were twelve tribes of Native Americans, one of whom gave our Texas territory its name. The Caddoes called each other “Tayshas,” meaning friends or allies. When Spanish explorers arrived, the Caddoes called them “Tayshas.” The explorers started calling friendly Native Americans “Tayshas.” Soon this word was adapted into English and it sounded like, “Texas.”

Before Texas became a republic and before it became the 28^th state of the United States, it was a part of Mexico. Many who made Texas their home at that time were of Native American, Spanish and Mexican cultures.

Early Mexican Texans were called, “Tejanas” and “Tejanos.” Many farmed and ranched the nearby lands of San Antonio, LaBahia and Nacogdoches. The “Tejanas” tended the family’s needs, the domestic animals and the garden. Others helped organize community projects. The “Tejanos” tended the large herds of livestock and worked with the “Vaqueros,” the first “Cowboys.” The Tejanas and Tejanos brought to our culture, customs and habits that have become a part of our lives. Although English is primarily spoken in Texas, some Spanish words have become a part of the Texas vocabulary. Aren’t these Spanish words now a familiar part of our Texanese speech? Try: rodeo, enchilada, tamale, siesta, loco, hacienda and serape. (Every one of these words passed through my English “spell-check” without a hitch.)

Texas cowboys learned their trade from Mexican vaqueros. Some equipment and clothing worn by cowboys originated from the vaqueros. The cowboy hat evolved from the vaqueros large sombreros. The seat-less leather pants, chaps, (pronounced “shaps”) protected the wearers legs from cactus and thorny underbrush. Chaps is short for “chaperejos” a Spanish word that means, “leather breeches.” Even our current saddles and spurs are modeled from those originally designed by the vaqueros.

Next week let’s examine other ethnic groups that have blended into the present day Texans, each bringing along their unique culture and by doing so, have produced a peculiar people, the off-spring of these blends, a Texan!

Once upon a time in Texas by Mable Cash 6-6-08

Texas boasts some of the best restaurants in our country, serving cuisine from all over the world. But ask a Texan about his favorite food and you’ll likely hear “smoked brisket,” “venison chili” or “apple/cinnamon kolaches.” For these are Texas foods. Perhaps they started out as something else back in Europe or Mexico but they have become uniquely TEXAN as settlers adapted the old recipes, to use what substitutes were available in their new environment.

Native Texas had a lot to offer in natural resources. The Caddo/ Hasinai Confederation of East Texas cultivated squash, corn, beans, pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and other vegetables. Some fruits, such as grapes and melons grew wild. Wild game was plentiful and a variety of fish spawned in the lakes, rivers and along the Gulf coast.

It did take some time to adjust to Texas climate and the new surroundings. Stephen F. Austin, in a letter to his sister, wrote, “My work is basically sustained by: corn coffee, cornbread, milk and butter in a bachelor’s household of confusion, dirt and torment.”

Corn coffee was a thin, bitter brew made by steeping burned corn in water and likely caused Austin to long for the real thing. Austin in correspondence with his cousin Capt. Henry Austin, suggested that he look along the Rio Grande Valley and consider establishing a coffee plantation. Although Texas settlers never managed to grow their own coffee, they did learn to take advantage of foods that grow in Texas.

They learned to dry wild blackberries, plums and grapes to use for fruit pies during the winter months. They served “wilted salads” made of wild greens, onions and a mixture of hot bacon drippings with vinegar. Sugar was replaced with molasses because sorghum grew better than sugar cane in the area. Cornmeal took the place of wheat flour because Texas climate was too hot for good wheat production.

The concoctions we consider unique to Texas cuisine are the direct results of, “waste no, want not” approach. Chicken fried steak and barbecue developed as cooks attempted to make the toughest cuts of meat edible, perhaps even desirable. Tough and gamey wild life were stewed with lots of chili peppers to overpower the bad taste. (It’s been said that chili made this way and served in the San Antonio jails was so good that prisoners broke parole just to get some more.)

Whatever happened to be put on the dinner table, coffee was served along with it. Coffee was listed as a staple on provisions lists from the Texas Rangers’ chuck wagon supply to Gen. Zachary Taylor’s troop rations in the Mexican/American War. A pot of coffee was kept boiling on the stove in pioneer homes for their family or unexpected guests. During the Civil War, Texans experimented, having to make do with a hot drink made of parched grain….acorns, okra, corn and other seeds. Likely, Stephen F. Austin would have offered his sympathy.

While unexpected visitors could be sure of a warm welcome from frontier families, our famous Texas hospitality didn’t always apply to rough hash joints of the early frontier. A traveler, studying the menu from one such place, ordered vol-au-vent, a mixture of meat and vegetables in a cream sauce, served in a puff pastry. The proprietor stuck his .45 in the customer’s ear and growled, “You’ll have the hash.” Faced with such a hearty recommendation from the chef, the customer ordered the hash and enjoyed it!

Once upon a time in Texas by Mable Cash 5-30-08

Once upon a time Ah-yo-keh, a little Cherokee Indian girl lay beside a running stream, trailing her small hand in the cool clear water. She was troubled by what she had overheard Pawlee, the corn woman say to her mother this morning. “I warn you because I am your friend. Our people fear that your husband is making magic against the tribe. They think he talks with evil powers for he makes strange sounds and puts marks on birch bark.”

Ah-yo-keh thought about what she had heard and was troubled. She could not believe that he father dealt in magic; for she knew him to be kind and good. How could tribe-members think that about him? She tip-toed to the place where her father was working and hid in the bushes, observing. He was acting peculiar; could the tribe be right? Fear touched her heart.

Sequoyah sat on a log near their cabin, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. He was making queer sounds. Now and then he would take a piece of birch bark and make a mark on it.

Ah-yo-keh stepped out from the shrubbery and with a hesitant voice, asked, “Father, what are you doing?”

Sequoyah put aside the bark and lit his pipe and patted the log beside him. Little Ah-yo-keh climbed up beside him. “This is a rather long story, so listen carefully,” he said.

“When I was a young brave, I saw a white man looking at paper on which were many black marks. He told me that these marks made a message on the paper. I thought how wonderful and useful that the white man can send messages to people who are miles away. And I’m thinking how wonderful it would be if the Cherokees could do the same thing! Perhaps the strength and wisdom of the white man is because they have written down the wisdom of each generation and later generations can learn that wisdom and more!”

Ah-yo-keh nodded and listened to her father as he continued. “I’m trying to find a way to write our Cherokee language. The white man’s marks will not do for Cherokee words for there are sounds in our words that cannot be made with the white man’s marks. I’ve been trying to find a mark for each of our sounds, to make a Cherokee alphabet. I sit here thinking of all the sounds in Cherokee talk. When I think of a sound, I make a mark for it. I have it almost completed. Soon we will have our own alphabet. Then we will be able to read and write to each other.”

“But why do people think you are making bad magic against the tribe?”

“When I finish my work and can make others understand, they will thank me,” said her father. “Then let me help you,” said the child. She gathered bark and helped her father make the marks. Sequoyah’s face brightened, “What a wonderful idea! I will teach you to read and write and the chiefs will know there is no evil in our project.” Sequoyah and his daughter spent many long hours together making the marks and the sounds of the Cherokee language.

Word came that the tribe chiefs were angry and feared Sequoyah was making magic to bring injury to the Cherokee nation. The chiefs came to Sequoyah’s cabin to hold an investigation.

Ah-yo-keh brought pieces of birch bark to her father. The chiefs examined them and said, “If there is good in this bark, show us that good.”

Sequoyah said, “I will show you and my young daughter will help me. I will write her a message and she will read it to you.”

“We shall send the child away and you will give me a message. I will write your message down on this birch bark. After that, take the bark to the child. She will read from it what your words have been.” When the chiefs took her the piece of bark on which were some familiar marks, the little girl with trembling hands took the bark and with a clear and steady voice, she read the words exactly as the chiefs had spoken them to her father.

The chiefs were amazed. Could this be true? Was it some kind of trick? Perhaps she had overheard what was said. They doubted what they had witnessed!

“No,” said Sequoyah, “my daughter read it from the bark. But come, let us far into the forest, away from the cabin and send another message to my daughter.”

Deep in the woods, they gave him another message which he marked onto the bark and gave to his daughter to read. Again, she recited the exact words that had been spoken in secret from the marks on the bark.

The chiefs huddled together and made their decisions and remarks….and finally the oldest chief spoke. “This thing you and your daughter have done is amazing. Can you teach it to others?”

Sequoyah nodded, “Of course, if a child can learn it, surely our young men will not find it difficult.”

In just a few months, thousands of Cherokees learned to read and write. Sequoyah was honored by his tribe. “Ability to write down a sound is a gift of the Great Spirit,” he said, “and the only reward I want is the privilege of teaching others.”

For the rest of his life he traveled throughout Cherokee settlements, teaching those who would learn. Sequoyah is remembered not only by the Cherokee but by all scholars, for he is the only man in the world who is known for making an alphabet by himself. A statue of this remarkable teacher stands in the Capitol at Washington, D.C.

This is a true story gleaned from textbook, “Call of the Southwest,” written by J.A.Rickard & Clyde Inez Martin.