WHEN THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND US ANYMORE, THEY WILL UNDERSTAND US

Pako Sudupe

21-07-2018, ZUZEU.

Abstract:

In this article, Pako Sudupe would like to bring back to memory a sentence by the great Basque-nationalist Telesforo Monzon: “When they don’t understand us anymore, they will understand us”. Telesforo was trying to highlight the importance of the Basque language within the construction process of the basque nation and along the path towards Basque independece. If we all spoke Basque in Euskal Herria (the Basque Nation) the Spaniards and the French would realize we are different from them and would understand our wish for independence more easily…when they don’t understand us any more (due to our speaking Basque) they will understand us (they will grasp that we are different).

Monzon always set great value on our national language, and he did so in a most coherent and consistent way. “If we want to found a country and if we want it to be independent, it has to rest upon a major foundation, and that foundation is the Basque language.” There is no room for doubt. The Basque language is, above all things, our main differential aspect, one that makes it evident that we are neither Spanish nor French…Yes, when they don’t understand us anymore, they will understand us.