Unveiled Tejano Monument marks history

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Tejano Settlers' Monument at the state Capitol was officially unveiled Thursday morning.

Authorized by legislation in 2001, officials broke ground on the monument 2 1/2 months ago. The multistatue monument will honor early Spanish and Mexican pioneers and their contributions to Texas.

• Photos: Tejano Monument unveiling

The unveiling on the Capitol south lawn got under way at 10 a.m., accompanied by the University of Texas mariachi to celebrate.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry attended and offered some compliments.

“If anything is worth doing, it’s worth doing right – and Armando Hinojosa, you did it right," said Perry. “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like.”

Hinojosa, who is also a painter, started out with a 29-cent watercolor set, and he was able to sculpt the masterpiece with only eight fingers.

He and many family members attended the unveiling, with many from his hometown of Laredo.

About the monument

"The Mission of the Tejano Monument is to emplace a monument on the Texas Capitol grounds to establish an enduring legacy that acknowledges and pays tribute to the contributions by Tejanos as permanent testimony of the Spanish-Mexican heritage that has influenced and is inherent in present-day Texas culture."