“Instead of knocking down statues with the first line, change your name”: Maria Fernanda Cabal's strong message to Francia Márquez

In recent days, a number of criticisms have been generated by the statements of Francia Márquez, Gustavo Petro's vice-presidential formula. In these, she has used two unusual terms for the language of Colombians, highlighting the words “majoras” and “nobody”, some sectors of the opposition claimed that this leader was running over language, however, it was enough to investigate in depth to find the root of these concepts.

For these expressions she has been questioned by members of the opposition, who tell her to be consistent. One of them was Maria Fernanda Cabal who wrote on her Twitter account that: “Francia Márquez must be consistent and renamed: FRANCE was a colonizing slave empire in Senegal, French Sudan, Benin and the Ivory Coast in Africa. He is “colonizing tyrant” in his verbiage mamerta. Instead of knocking down statues with the first line, change your name.”

It is that Márquez has sought to use an inclusive language, he speaks of “all, everyone and everyone”, which for many is mistreatment of the Spanish language. Another critic was the congresswoman for the Democratic Center and president of the Global Parliament for Tolerance and Peace, Margarita Restrepo, who stressed that it was not necessary to speak strange to be heard, adding that language should be respected. Restrepo's claims initially caused an impact, noting: “Elders and majors, Nobody and Nadias, People and Persons. God save Colombia!”

Senator Iván Cepeda, for his part, reproached the attacks against Petro's formula, noting: “The Royal Spanish Academy contemplates the use of the word “majora”. However, some are shameless because Francia Márquez says “older and older”, but they shamelessly use language to insult, lie and incite violence.”

He also sent a message of support to Márquez, the indigenous Wayuu and elected Senator Martha Peralta Epieyú, who said: “Let them get used to it because with #PactoHistorico the indigenous people and the Afro people are going to legislate and govern this country. Leave behind your racism on the microphones, it's time for Eduardo Galeano's “nobodies”.”

Likewise, it should be borne in mind that, within ancestral concepts and indigenous peoples, language has different particularities and the meaning of certain words can change significantly based on the appropriation that these social niches consider giving it.

It is that the word majoras and majors has an ancestral meaning and is used in indigenous communities, since according to Francia Márquez, this reference was directed to women you knew, those who have ethical and moral authority to guide the course of each of their peoples.

For its part, the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language affirms that this is an unused term today, they configure it as the way in which the elder's wife is referred to, and it is part of the historical language data in different territories.

“Greater and Greater words of great significance for millennial peoples. They express great respect for people with the wisdom of life, they are NOT words that are used for linguistic fashion. But it's reasonable that many don't understand it, because Respect is something they don't know,” said the indigenous leader and elected congressman, Aida Quilcue.

Finally, in addition to the strong messages that members of the opposition have posted to the environmental leader for her speech, Márquez released through her social networks 2 pamphlets from the group called 'Black Eagles, Southwest Colombian Block' in which her name appears alongside that of other leaders and social organizations under the category of “military objective”.

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