Austin's Culture & Economy

POLITICS

Being the capital of Texas, Austin is the hub of the state’s politics. The legislature meets every other spring and consists of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. Texas has traditionally been a democratic state, but this dramatically changed when George W. Bush became governor and later when he was elected president of the United States. Following Bush’s election as president, Republican Rick Perry became the governor of Texas.

There are several problems that plague the politics of the state capital. First, the legislative process is famous for getting bogged down and for not achieving its goals. Special legislative sessions are often called to try to tackle these important issues, but the “special sessions” often end having only spent taxpayer dollars while the feuding legislators fail to reach resolutions. Another problem in Texas politics is big business. It should come as no surprise that politics and business are fast friends, but in Texas this is downright cultural. Texas is home to some of the nation’s largest and most powerful businesses, and their agendas are consistently integrated into legislation, right under the noses of the unalert and unaware public.

ECONOMY

The economy of Central Texas used to be hinged on ranching and cotton, but today the main industries that contribute to the region’s economy are higher education, government, and high tech. Top employers in Austin include the University of Texas, Dell Computers, the City of Austin, Motorola, Seaton Healthcare Network, and IBM. The economic force that people most associate with Austin is the high-tech industry, which took root when, in the 1960s, IBM moved here. Since then Motorola, Texas Instruments, and Dell Computers have chosen Austin as their home. Today high tech is the third-largest industry in the region, and a major player on the global computer and technology scene.

In recent years an economic shot in the arm has been coming from the movie industry. This burgeoning interest in Austin is for good reason. Filming and production work in Austin is less expensive than the big cities, and the industry folks here are friendly and free of all that folks hate about Hollywood. An economic impact study conducted in 2004 estimates the total economic impact of the film industry at nearly $360 million annually. The long list of films made in and around Austin includes Dazed and Confused, The Alamo, The Faculty, Texas Chainsaw Massacre I and II, Miss Congeniality I and II, Second Hand Lions, Spy Kids, Raising Arizona, Slacker, Waiting for Guffman, Office Space, and How to Eat Fried Worms.

Last, one can’t talk about Austin’s economy without mentioning the music industry. Although there’s no real “industry” to speak of, such as record companies, music executives, and tall buildings where musicians sell their souls, live music is a big source of revenue for the city. It brings in an excess of 11 million per year, never mind the boost music gives the tourism industry. With high-profile festivals such as SXSW ($21 million) and Austin City Limits Festival ($26 million), live music revenue is something the city relies on.

People

Texans are bold, brash, and full of bravado. The bravado, however, is tempered with a large dose of hospitality and friendliness. The state’s motto, “Friendship,” has historical linguistic origins but it is also something that is reflected every day in its people. Who and what a Texan is can be summed up by two popular bumper stickers. One identifies the car’s occupant as a “Native Texan” while the other boasts, “I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could.” To qualify as a true Texan you don’t need established bloodlines like the Virginia planter class or the Brahmans in Boston. In fact, the founding fathers of Texas, almost to the man, came to Texas because they were running from either the law, debts, failed careers, or failed marriages. Most will agree that being Texan is open to all classes, all races, and all religions. It is a spirit and an attitude, coupled with a pride associated with a special place that was conquered and cultivated by strong-willed and independent-minded people.

Texan pride is due in no small part to the fact that Texas was created in a revolution against a brutal dictator and stood alone for almost ten years as an independent nation. Texas joined the United States in 1845 as a result of a treaty between two sovereign nations, not because it was a conquered territory or constituted land purchased from a European power. It is understandable that the original Texans were proud of what they created and have passed on that pride to future generations and new arrivals. That is why as you travel around Texas you will see the Texas flag displayed prominently by its people at their homes and businesses.

The strongest cultural influences that have shaped Central Texas character come from Mexico and Germany. Mexico should come as no surprise, as the border is so close, and Latino heritage reaches far back into the state’s history, but people are often surprised at the German heritage. Both cultures combined have shaped the cultural landscape. The Latino cultural and historical presence is especially apparent in Austin and San Antonio where most of the food, art, and music draws heavily from Latino culture, and the German heritage is strongest in the Hill Country, where folks still dance to polka and eat schnitzels. One strong reminder of both German and Mexican heritage is in the regional Latin music, which features the accordion, introduced by early German pioneers.

POPULATION

The populations of Austin, San Antonio, and the Hill Country are largely comprised of white Caucasians and Hispanics. Austin’s significant demographic figures as collected during the last major census in 2000 are as follows: 52.9 percent white/Caucasian, 30.5 percent Hispanic, 16.2 percent other race, 10.0 percent black, 3.0 percent two or more races, 1.2 percent Chinese, and 1.1 percent American Indian. Primary ancestries for Austin are the following: 12.8 percent German, 8.7 percent English, 8.4 percent Irish, 4.3 percent United States, 2.7 percent French, and 2.5 percent Italian.

San Antonio’s demographics from the 2000 census are as follows: 67.7 percent white/Caucasian, 58.7 percent Hispanic, 6.8 percent black, 3.7 percent two or more races, 1.6 percent Asian, and 0.8 percent American Indian. Primary ancestries for San Antonio are the following: 41 percent Mexican, 15 percent other Hispanic or Latino, 9 percent German, 9 percent black or African American, 5 percent English, 5 percent Irish, 2 percent French, 2 percent Italian, 6 percent other European, and 1 percent American Indian.

RELIGION

Religion is a major part of life in Texas. Beliefs and values are unquestionably integrated into secular culture and a church-based way of life is the acceptable norm. Texas is at the westernmost reaches of the Bible Belt, the region of the United States made up of communities that are predominantly Protestant and Evangelical. There isn’t a definitive boundary for this belt, but most agree that it stretches from Dallas, Texas, down to Austin, which is at the western reaches, and continues east through the South. Although only part of Texas is in what’s considered the Bible Belt, the Bible is the basis for beliefs and ideologies for the majority of Texans. According to <@I>Churches and Church Membership in the United States<@P> Texas has the most Evangelical Protestants in the nation, with California way behind in second place. Texas rankings with other religions as compared to the rest of the United States are as follows: third-largest number of Catholics, third-largest number of Buddhist congregations, fifth-largest number of Muslims, fifth-largest number of Hindu congregations, and tenth-largest number of Jews. At least 55 percent of Texans adhere to a particular religion.

Being the most liberal place in Texas, Austin has the most diverse representation of religions and is perhaps the most accepting and tolerant. San Antonio, on the other hand, is predominantly Catholic. This should come as no surprise due to its Mexican history and the proximity to the border.

LANGUAGE

The predominant language spoken in Central Texas is English. This may sound simple to those familiar with the language but newcomers beware--the version of English expressed here isn’t the same as those used in other regions. Besides being famous for their unique accent, Texans also have a tendency to pronounce words in a creative way. The most widely known example of this is the word “y’all.” Although not exclusively Texan it has become synonymous with the state. Along with this, there’s a long list of weird pronunciations that first-timers will encounter. At first this approach to English is amusing and takes a little getting used to, but its charm will win you over.

Due to Central Texas’s rich Mexican history and Latino and Hispanic culture, the Spanish language comes in at a close second to English. Most Texans speak a little Spanish and many are fluent. The infusion of Spanish into Central Texas culture has created a unique lexicon that is to be found nowhere else. Spanish words have merged into the Texas lexicon and have taken on their own meaning. For example the Spanish word grande is pronounced like “grand” (i.e. Rio Grand), and Guadalupe is pronounced gwada-LOOP. In Spanish “ll” is pronounced like “y,” but no one in Texas would dare pronounce Amarillo with a “y” sound. The list of weird idiosyncrasies is long and amusing. Travelers, especially those with a background in Spanish, should try to go with the vernacular flow.

MUSIC AND ART

Music is a major part of the life and culture of Central Texas. Austin is the “Live Music Capital of the World” and San Antonio is considered the home of Tejano and Conjunto music. I won’t speculate as to how music and Austin became synonymous, but I will say that Austin has been greatly blessed in its calling to live music greatness. Today Austin is compulsive about music. Throughout the year Austin’s hundreds of venues, bars, and clubs are full of touring national acts, local favorites, and wannabes seeking expression and recognition. Although the city is smack-dab in the middle of Texas there isn’t much tractor pop (modern country) to be heard here. Austin is an independent artist’s paradise that transcends all genres by offering music by the people for the people. The scene is both diverse and tolerant, and most music fans here don’t subscribe to any one genre.

Austin may be known for its contribution to live music, but San Antonio and the Hill Country are known for Tejano and Conjunto music. This unique form of music is the direct result of the Spanish, Mexican, Texian, and German cultures mixing over the course of two centuries in Central and South Texas. The final product is a Tex-Mex music that blends traditional Mexican forms such as the corrido and the western/European waltz and polka introduced by German and Czech settlers in the late 19th century. The most distinct element of this music is the accordion, which was inadvertently introduced by German settlers. Today Tejano and Conjunto music has adopted strong influences from rock, blues, and cumbia, and has gone from being a local and ethnic form of music to its own genre with wide appeal in North America, Latin America, and Europe. At the core of Tejano and Conjunto are songs about drinking, love, heartbreak, and dancing. Popular artists that have either pioneered or popularized the Tejano sound are Narciso Martinez, Isidiro Lopez, Joe Lopez y El Groupo Mazz, and Flaco Jimenez, who can still be seen performing around Austin and San Antonio.

Folk art is second only to music in Central Texas. Although it is something that is not easily defined, it is widely accepted as simply art by and for the folk. In Austin folk art is pop paintings of Hank Williams Sr. on old fence boards, or junk from the landfill and car graveyards that are painstakingly fitted together to form a postmodern apocalyptic “sculpture,” or retro-style neon signs mounted on tin with catchy statements that echo sentiments of the obscure, or a thought-provoking sociopolitical painting of Elvis wired to light bulbs. In San Antonio a similar modern approach is taken to folk art, but with one difference--replace Elvis with the Virgin Mary. All the above expressions of folk art can be found in galleries, shops, boutiques, restaurants, on urban walls, and in people’s front yards all over Austin, San Antonio, and in some Hill Country towns. You’ll know it when you see it.