Childhood days in calamba

Childhood MemoriesFirst Sorrow

Pilgrimage to AntipoloThe Story of the Moth

Influence on Hero’s Boyhood

“ Ah , tender childhood, lovely town,

Rich fount of my felicities.”Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo(In Memory of My Town)

- Jose Rizal Description:- Verdant plain - Laguna de Bay (North)- Mountain shrine of miraculous Lady of Peace and

Good Voyage (Antipolo)- Mt. Makiling (South)

CALAMBA, CRADLE OF A GENIUS

Frail, sickly and undersized child 3 years old: happy days in the family

garden A little nipa cottage built for him He has a nanny called “aya” Listening to different kinds of birds Daily Angelus prayers Happy moonlit nights at the azotea after

rosary Tales about fairies and treasures Nocturnal walk

Earliest Childhood Memories

Jose loved most the little “Concha”

“when I was four years old, I lost my little sister Concha and

then for the first time I wept tears of love and grief.”

First sorrow

At 3, he began to take part in family prayers

At 5, he was able to read the Spanish family bible

He loved to take part in novenas and religious processions

Religious poems that he composed:◦Al Nino Jesus◦La Allianza Intima Entre La Religion y La Buena Educacion

◦A La Virgen Maria He heard mass at 4am while studying at

Biñan

Devoted Son of Church

June 6, 1868: Jose and his father went on a pilgrimage to fulfill his mother’s vow when he was born

His first pilgrimage The first trip across Laguna de Bay They rode in a casco (barge) Thrilled and was not able to sleep the

whole night With pleasure and awe he saw the sun

rise the next day They went to Sta. Ana, Manila after

prayer to visit Saturnina who was student of La Concordia

Pilgrimage to Antipolo

A splendid teacher Loving and patient but strict as a tutor

At 3, Jose learned the alphabet and prayers

She encourage Jose to write poems Was spanked twice with slippers He wrote: “Surely, a man owes everything to his mother, next to God.”

First Education from Mother

Rizal wrote the story which made the profoundest impression on him

Mother was teaching him to read a Spanish reader; The Children’s Friend (El Amigo de los Niño's)

But started to tell a story The Parable of the Moth because Jose was not listening to her

“I watched it with my whole soul” “It had died a martyr to its illusions” “To sacrifice one’s life for an ideal” is

meritorious and exemplary.

The Story of the Moth

The moth and flame metaphor is an age-old favorite in many cultures. While Rizal’s mother used the metaphor to instil obedience in her young son’s mind, the attraction to and burning of the moth by the flame is taken by philosophers and poets as positive, as in being lost into the divine essence. Indeed, Rizal himself took the moth’s fate not as his mother would have him see:

The Story of the Moth

“…To me moths ceased to be insignificant insects; moths talked and knew how to warn and advise as well as my mother did. The light seemed to be more beautiful, dazzling, attractive. I understand why moths fluttered around lights. Advices and warnings resounded feebly in my ears. What preoccupied me most was the death of the imprudent, but at the bottom of my heart, I didn’t blame it…

…and nevertheless the man preserves the heart of a child and he believes that light is the most beautiful thing there is in creation and that it is worthy for a man to sacrifice his life for it.”

The Story of the Moth

Lesson: More than a century after his death, we now

know what Rizal’s “light” was that he believed to be “worthy for a man to sacrifice his life for…” I hope the Filipino nation turn out to be worthy of the ultimate sacrifices of those who died for its sake.

The Story of the Moth

1. HEREDITARY INFLUENCE Malayan: passionate love for freedom

and serenity of life’s outlook Chinese: serious nature, frugality,

patience and love for children Spanish: elegance of bearing, sensitivity

to insult, and gallantry to ladies Father: profound self-respect, love for

work, and habit of independent thinking Mother: religious nature, spirit of self

sacrifice and passion for arts and literature

INFLUENCES ON RIZAL’S BOYHOOD

2. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE Scenic beauty of Calamba and Rizal’s

garden: inborn artistic and literary talent Religious atmosphere at home: religiosity Paciano: brotherly love Sisters: courteous and kind to women Fairy tales: interest in folklore and legends Uncle Gregorio: book lover Uncle Jose: Artistic ability Uncle Manuel: good health and sports Father Leoncio Lopez: value of intellectual

honesty and love for scholarship

INFLUENCES ON RIZAL’S BOYHOOD

2. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE Death and sorrow: melancholy

temperament, strengthen his character Spanish abuses and cruelties: awaken his

spirit of patriotism and inspired him to dedicate his life to redeem his oppressed people

3. AID OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE Destined to be the pride and glory of our

people God has given us a genius and a hero

during the darkest period of our history

INFLUENCES ON RIZAL’S BOYHOOD

In 1861, the year when Rizal was born, the Philippines was browsing redolently beneath the shadow of the cross.

Pax Hispanica reigned over the entire archipelago. The people despite their bondage to Spain, were enjoying their serene, simple, and Christian way of life.

The Spanish Governor General was Jose Lemery, a good militarist

No bloody Muslim piratical raid

The world when Rizal was born

No serious native uprising No frightful upsurge of banditry No threat of foreign invasion

The world when Rizal was born

Beyond the frontiers of the Philippines The world was seething in the throes of political

strife, social upheavals, and international intrigues.

Gargantuan China – prostrate, impotent to stop the predatory western power (England and France) in which she lost more teritories to the foreign invaders

Japan – western powers tried to make a repeat performance of their victory in Japan. However, their efforts were foiled by the valiant Japanese people.

The world when Rizal was born

Indo China – French troops aided by Filipino soldiers from manila were smashing down Annamese resistance.

Sub-continent of India – British East India Company Armies were establishing British Raj (rule)

Mexico – Benito Juarez, Indian-blooded hero entered Mexico City, headed his victorious Indian and Mexican troops and proclaimed the restoration of Mexican independence

The world when Rizal was born

Russia – emancipation of serfs in Russia by Czar Alexander II

United States – Civil War exploded over the slavery question and the issue of secession.

German states – were being forge into one nation by Bismarch, notwithstanding the opposition of Austria.

France – the second Napoleonic empire, beset by domestic and foreign troubles and misgoverned by Napoleon III was crumbling to pieces.

The world when Rizal was born

England – of all the great powers was experiencing relative peace and prosperity. Under the rule of Queen Victoria, she defeated Russia in the Crimean War and acquired rich colonies in the East, and attained new height of glory in diplomacy and literature

Spain – fared ill under the rule of Queen Isabella II. She had lost her rich colonies in the New World (except Cuba and Puerto Rico)

The world when Rizal was born

Jose Rizal, like a typical Filipino, was of mixed ancestry. In his vein flowed the blood of both East and West:

Negrito Indonesian Malay Chinese Japanese Spanish

Ancestry of Rizal

The Rizal family was one of the richest family in Calamba during the times prior to its persecution of the friars.

Rizal’s parents, by their industry and frugality, were able to honestly build up a large fortune.

The first to build stone house in Calamba The first to own a carruaje (horse drawn

carriage) The first to have a home library – estimated

to consist of more than 1,000 volumes)

The Rizal family

The family raised rice, corn, and sugar on large tracts of land rented from the Dominican estate of Calamba.

It operated a sugar mill, a flour mill, and a home made ham press.

His mother Teodora owned a store in town. She was a successfull businesswoman.

The Rizal family was not only rich but they were esteemed and respected

The Rizal family

The house of the Rizal family was one of the distinguished stone houses in Calamba during the Spanish times

Rectangular in shape Adobe stone, hardwood with red tiled roof Behind it was a poultry full of turkey and

chicken Gardens of tropical fruit trees – atis, balimbing,

macopa, papaya, santol, tampoy, etc. A wholesome home, naturally bred a

wholesome family.

The Rizal Home