Lesson 2: Rizal Childhood Days in Calamba

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda

Full name of Jose Rizal

June 19, 1861, Calamba

Date and location of Rizal’s birth

December 30, 1896, Manila

Date and location of Rizal’s death

Jose Rizal

• Patriot, physician, and man of letters who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement

• Died at age 35

Calamba: “Cradle of Genius”

• Rizal loved Calamba with all his heart and soul

• In 1876, when he was 15 years old and was a student in Ateneo, he remembered his beloved town

• He wrote a poem “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory of My Town)

Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory of My Town)

Poem that RIzal wrote for his hometown

Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, and Leon Monroy

Pioneering teachers that shaped Rizal’s intellect and nationalism

1st memory of Rizal in his infancy

Happy days in the family garden

Rizal was given the most tender care by his parents

Because he was frail, sickly, and undersized child

Nipa cottage

Rizal’s father built this for him to play in daytime

Angelus prayer

By nightfall, Rizal related, his mother gathered all the children at the house to pray this

Aswang, nuno, tikbalang, bearded bombay

Used by Rizal’s yaya to make him eat his food

“Thus my heart fed on sombre and melancholy thoughts so that even still a child, I already wandered on wings of fantasy in the high regions of the unknown.”

Written by Rizal while recounting childhood memories

Tatay and Nanay

Used by Rizal and his siblings to affectionately refer to their parents

Ute

Name that Rizal’s siblings would use to jokingly refer to him

Pepe or Pepito

The name of Rizal that was known by the people of Calamba

Concha

• Rizal’s sibling whom he loved the most

• Rizal was a year older than her

• died of sickness in 1865 when he was 3 years old

3 years old

Age of Rizal when he began to take part in the family prayers

5 years old

Age of Rizal when he was able to read haltingly the family bible

Manong Jose

• Laughingly called by this name by the Hermanos and Hermanas Terceras because he loved to pray, take part in novenas, and join religious processions

Father Leoncio Lopez

• One of the men Rizal esteemed and respected in calamba during his boyhood

• Town priest

Pilgrimage to Antipolo

On June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left for Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to Antipolo, in order to fulfill his mother’s vow which was made when Rizal was born

Mother of Rizal

• Taught Rizal the alphabet and prayers at 3 years old

• Seeing Rizal had a talent for poetry, she encouraged him to write poems. She gave her all her love and all that she learned in college.

First Sorrow

Death of Concha

The story of the Moth

Of the story told by Dona Teodora to Jose, it was this story that made the profoundest impression on him

The tragic fate of the young moth, which died a martyr to its illusions, left a deep impress on Rizal’s mind

Rizal’s 3 uncles (mother’s brothers)

1. Uncle Gregorio

2. Uncle Jose

3. Uncle Manuel

Uncle Gregorio

• lover of books

• He instilled into the mind of his nephew a great love for books

• He taught him to work hard, to think for himself, and to observe life keenly

Uncle Jose

• Educated at Calcutta, India

• Youngest brother of Dona Teodora

• He encouraged his nephew to paint, sketch, and sculpture

Uncle Manuel

• big, strong, and husky man

• He looked after the physical training of his sickly and weak nephew

• He encourage Rizal to learn swimming, fencing, wrestling, and other sports, so that in later years Rizal’s frail body acquired agility, endurance, and strength

Usman

Rizal’s big black dog

Sa aking mga kababata (To my fellow children)

First known written poem by Rizal in tagalog