More than 200 genealogists, culture aficionados, and people curious about their Hispanic ancestry are in Dallas this weekend for the 44th annual . The title of the two-day conference, beginning Friday in Dallas, is Somos Tejas, which translates to 鈥渨e are Texas.鈥�
Alex Martinez is president of the Hispanic Organization for Genealogy and Research (HOGAR), the Dallas-based organization hosting the conference. He said the focus will be on mestizo, Indigenous and European origins. Participants from all over the state, Mexico, New Mexico and Valencia, Spain, will attend, Martinez said.
鈥淭exas was here way before it was Texas,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t first belonged to the Indigenous. Then came the Spanish colonialism and then the independence from Spain.
鈥淲e were in Mexico before we were Texas. We wanted to highlight that and how all these different cultures kind of contribute to who we are.鈥�
The growing interest in the Hispanic community searching for their roots can be attributed to a lot of things, according to Martinez -- including the rise in popularity of DNA tests.
鈥淏ecause all DNA does is it tracks geographically where your genes are coming from,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd they're able to refine the data the more participants come into the fold.鈥�
Martinez said his own DNA test helped him discover more about his family history.
鈥淢y dad鈥檚 side of the family got to the South Texas region in 1750 and had land grants on both sides of the Rio Grande,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nce I did my DNA test, I found out I also have Indigenous roots.鈥�
Priscilla Rice is 四虎影院鈥檚 communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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