CHAPTER 4

The Childhood Years

izal had generally pleasant memories of his childhood. He wrote about this stage
R in his life at the age of seventeen in his autobiography entitled "Memorias de un
Estudiante de Manila," He wrote under the name "P. Jacinto:" Rizal used this
pseudonym to keep details of his life private but he eventually revealed himself by
signing his name at the end of his work.
Rizal wrote beautiful memories of his birthplace. The surroundings of his
hometown of Calamba were beautiful. Around it were green and verdant fields. To the
east is the country's largest lake, Laguna de Bay which was called by the locals as "Dagat
Tabang or the freshwater sea. Talim Island can be seen at a distance in the middle of
the lake. Sailboats were seen moving across the waters. To the south is Mt. Makiling.
a mountain which resembles a sleeping woman. It was thought to be enchanted and
guarded by a spirit named Mariang Makiling. Rizal's home had a large yard planted
with various fruit trees and flowers. Birds of various kinds visited the place and at night
the moon shone. He imagined that the stories his yaya (nanny) told him were true such
as those of duwendes (dwarves), ghosts, and aswangs (evil spirits). Rizal's surroundings
were conducive to the awakening of the artist in him which manifested in later life. He
would later immortalize the town of his birth in a poem entitled "Un Recuerdo de Mi
Pueblo which he wrote when he was fifteen years old.
Rizal's big family was a happy one. It was full of joy tempered with reverence. He
described his father, Francisco Mercado, as a man who was already in his forties when
he was born, "a model of fathers who gave his children an education commensurate
with the family's small fortune. Through his thrift and industry, he was able to builda
stone house, buy another and erect a small nipa hut in the middle of the orchard under
the shade of banana trees and others. Rizal described his mother as a "cultured woman
of Manila" She knew literature and spoke better Spanish than he did. She was also a
mathematician and has read many books. His brother Paciano studied at the Colegio
de San José which was managed by the Society of Jesus. His sisters were educated at
the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion a fashionable boarding school in suburban
Manila.
Rizal's siblings were tightly bound by love and companionship. They were well
trained by their loving parents to love each other and behave properly in front of others.
José was called several nicknames by his brother and sisters like Ute or Moy. Outside
of the house, he was called Pepe or Pepito. He was small and had a fragile physique. His
head was rather large and it was a laughing matter that he would fall after standing
and when his sisters joked about the head of his
up. He developed a love for sculpture
sculpture disproportionately large compared to the body. José retorted that "someday

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 of me:" This playful reply is a prophecy
that is fulilled today,
people will make statues
he considered as
elder brother Paciano whom
Jose developed a strong bond with his his younger
a second father. Paciano, on the other hand,
respected the potentials of
brother and supported him in his endeavours in the coming years.
life with the death of his younger
Rizal experienced the first sad episode of his
He was four years old when she
sister Concha (Concepcion) who died of disease. and grief. The
time he wept tears of love
passed away. According to Rizal for the first
death of his sister brought him his first sorrow.
At this stage, he demonstrated
At an early age, Rizal was first taught by his mother.
which induced his parents to hire tutors for him. Among them
superior intelligence that the young
were Lucas Padua and Leon Monroy
who taught Rizal Latin. Seeing
him. He also hd a passion for
Rizal had a passion for poetry his mother encouraged that he saw
new discovery. He drew things
anything new. His eyes lit up on every own ink
flowers and birds that visited the yard. He would make his
including trees,
various leaves and flowers.
using charcoal and the juices of
Rizal also had a taste for mischief. One afternoon
when most of the family s e
there was a loud
having their siesta, José and Joséfa were playing the yard. Suddenly
in the

explosion. José lit up a bottle of gunpowder

and resulting explosion burned his
from her fearsome slipper. In
sister's face. Doña Teodora gave him a severe spanking
discipline of his mother saying that "Surely a
man
latter life, José appreciated the stern
owes everything to God."

One of the memorable anecdotes between the young Rizal

and his mother was
when his mother was reading to him a Spanish reader entitled
"El Amigo de los Ninos"
her as she reading
(The Children's Friend.) She noticed him not paying attention to
was

the contents of the book in Spanish. Rizal instead was attracted to a pair of moths
and it was assumed
circling the flame ofthe oil lamp.Of the two moths, one was larger flame
that it was the mother ofthe smaller one. 'The smaller moth got so attracted to the
that it flew too close that its wings got burned and fell into the oil and died.
The story of the moths had a change in the mind of the young boy and as Dona

Teodora put him

into bed she said,
"Don't be disobedient or you may get bured
as
it did" Rizal, however, had a different view. The story revealed to Rizal things then
unknown. "Moths were no longer 'insignificant insects: Moths talked; they know how
to warn. They advised like my mother. The light seemed to me more beautiful. It had
I knew why the moths circled the flame" The
grown more dazzling and more attractive.
sacrifice one's life for an ideal, is worthwhile.
story left an imprint on Josés mind that to
Aside from his immediate family, Rizal's three uncles added to Rizal's inspiration.
José Alberto was a lover of books. He taught him to work hard, to think for himself,
and observe ife keenly His uncle José who was educated in Calcutta, India encouraged
uncle Manuel looked after his nephews
him to sketch, paint, and sculpt while his other
physical development. He taught him swimming, fencing, wrestling, and other sports.

46
 His artistic side becoming manifest as he made various statuettes
was
clay and wax. He restored a religious banner which was soiled and made it withmaue
color. A rather introvert boy, he spent time riding on a pony his father boughtbetter
a

his black dog named Usman was his companion. He was fascinated with and
magic triCKS
and his nimble fingers dazzled many onlookers as he entertained folks and friends
Calamba. In latter life, his sister Trinidad recounted that his entertaining skills andin
sense of humor attracted many women who
loved his company.
The foremost talent manifested
best by Rizal was poetry. The first poem he
wrote when he was eight years old was entitled "Sa Aking mga Kabata" (To my Fellow
Children). (Note the authenticity
of this poem is recently
being challenged by some
writers. See page 223.) It was a praise to the native of the Tagalogs whicn
language
became the basis of the country's national language. In the same he appealea
poemmanifested
to the readers to love their native tongue. Through this poem Rizal a
nationalistic inclination through the appreciation of the country's culture and heritage.
The poem read:

"SA AKING MGA KABATA"

Kapagka ang baya'y sadyang umiibig

Sa langit salitang
kaloob ng langit
Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapi
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapdwid
Pagka't ang salita y isang kahatulan
Sa bayan, sa nayo'tmga kaharian
At ang isang tao'y katulad, kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita
Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda
Kaya ang marapat pagyamanin kusa
Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala
Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin,

Sa Ingles, Kastila, at salitang anghel,

Sapagkat ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang siyang naggagawad, nagbibigay sa atin.
Ang salita nati'y tulad din sa iba
Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na kaya nawala'y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.

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 Also during his eighth year Rizal wrote a Tagalog drama which was staged in the
fiesta of Calamba. The gobernadorcillo of Paete, one of the towns of Laguna happened
to be present at the time and was very much impressed. He bought the manuscript
from Rizal for two pesos and staged it in the fiesta in Paete. At several instances, José
offered his talents even to the Dominican administrators of the Calamba estate who
called him Pepe Mercado. He must have been familiar with them.

Formal Education
Rizal continued his education under the guidance of private tutors when his last
tutor, Leon Monroy died, Don Francisco decided that his son should have his first taste
of formal education. In June 1870, Paciano brought his younger brother to the school
managed by Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Rizal was nine years old at that time. The
school was the house of his teacher. Rizal described him as a tall, thin, long-necked
man with a body slightly bent forward. He used to be the teacher of Paciano when he
was younger. He wore a shirt woven by the women of Batangas and as a teacher he was
quick to reprimand his students. He was quick to discipline them for any infraction
with a short thin stick especially if the wrong answer is given. This was the old system
of education at the time. The infliction of pain was made to ensure that the student
remembers the lesson. This was. a severity to Josés young mind. According to him,
a day did not pass when he did not receive not a few sharp strokes from his teacher's
short stick.
Immediately after he was assigned a seat in the classroom his teacher asked him
ifhe knew Spanish and Latin. His answer to both questions was "Un poco Señor" (little,
Sir,) which elicited laughter from his fellow students. He got mocked for his small size
because he only knew Un Poco. Later, the
young frail boy became the object of bullying
from his classmates especially from Pedro the son of the schoolmaster. It came to a
point of a brawl. Later, learning the wrestling skills he learned from his uncles, José
eventually defeated the class bully. José never backed down from a fight. At times he
was defeated by
stronger students and on one time he nearly cracked his skull after
arm-wrestling his classmate named Pedro Lakundanan.
José became an outstanding student surpassing his classmates in Spanish, Latin
and other subjects. He was also very popular that some of his classmates
to discredit him. Many times, he
spread rumors
got punished for his alleged wrongdoings. At the end
of his schooling, Maestro Justiniano recommended that
José should be sent to Manila. In
December 1871, he bade farewell to his school and his teacher. He also
collected pebbles
from theriveras
souvenirsknowing that he will never return to Biñan. Afterthe Christmas
of that year, Don Francisco decided to send
José to Manila to continue his studies.
A Taste of Injustice
In June 1871 an incident in the
family forever changed Rizal's view of Filipino
society. Doña Teodora was accused as an accomplice of José Alberto of
the latter's wife. Don José was a rich trying to poison
landowner who went on a trip to
when he returned he found his household in Europe and
disarray and that his wife who was her

48
namesake, Doña leodora Formoso de Alberto, was committing adultery as she was
found to be living with another man. Enraged, Don José tried to seek a divorce irom
his wife.

According to Rizal, his mother tried to mediate between the feuding

Don Josés wife connived with the alferez or the
spouses.
police chief of Calamba to have Don
José and Dona leodora arrested for trying to
poison her. Rizal said that the ajerez ana
his men were so brutal in placing her under arrest. According to him, the official had
a grudge against his family because he did not provide fodder for his horse for a time.
The man had forgotten that at one time, the alferez was a guest in their house and was
treated as a triend of the family.
When brought before the gobernadorcillo or town mayor who was also the
justice of the peace of Calamba, José's mother was also treated harshly. José attributed
the cavalier's treatment to the fact that one time the
gobernadorcillo was not given
the place of honor in one of the banquets in their house and that the family refused
his requests for free chickens and turkeys. He also said that the gobernadorcillo was
a fanatical puppet of the friars. Instead of just confining Doña Teodora in the town
jail, he sent her on foot to the provincial jail of Santa Cruz more than 50 kilometers
ay. The gobernadorcillo tried to make her admit the crime promising leniency. The
Dominicans who managed the Calamba estate provided help by engaging the services
of Don Francisco de Marcaida and Don Manuel P. Marzano, who were law professors at
the University of Sto. Tomas. After two years Doña Teodora was released.
Rizal had witnessed official injustice before having seen as a young boy ordinary
folk being'whipped just for not salutingthe Civil Guard. He never thought that injustice
could be so severe as depriving his family of his mother during the early years of his
life. He developed the perspective that injustice exists in this world and this could be
done by people who should have been ones friends. In his writings about his life Rizal
wrote that he developed a distrust of people especially when it came to power.

Another incident which carved an indelible mark on Josés mind was the execution
of the Filipino secular priests Fathers Mariano Gomes, José Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora.
The three priests were implicated in the Cavite Mutiny of January 20, 1872. The mutiny
began from the discontent of the workers in the Cavite arsenal. The new government
of Governor General Rafael de Izquierdo revoked their exemption from compulsory
deduction from their monthly pay. The
Community labor and increased the tax
Workers were joined by the soldiers of the arsenal led by a Sergeant Lamadrid. It was
in Manila who would fire rockets to
thought that they would be joined by soldiers
Signal their joining the insurrection. The Manila soldiers never joined the insurrection,
but Lamadrid's men mistook the rockets fired in the fiesta of Sampaloc, Manila as the
forces.
s1gnal. The ensuing mutiny w a s soon quelled by loyal
were involved in the mutiny and the
It was thought that many more people
liberals who were championing the cause
accusing pointed to the Filipino
fingerswith
of equal rights Spaniards and the reduction ot the intluence of the Church in
the leaders of the Filipino secular clergy who
politics. Also among the suspects were

A9
were fighting for secularization of the Philippine Catholic Church. During the previous
administration of the liberal Governor General Carlos Ma. De la Torre, these Filipino
liberals and seculars were allowed to voice out their grievances. While displaying a
sympathetic face to the Filipinos de la Torre discreetly ordered his officials that the
and tollowers of the reformist and pro-secularists be identified as potential
leaders
trouble-makers. He also blocked the entry of liberal materials to the island d
ordered the scrutiny of their correspondences.
When Governor Izquierdo took over, he ruled with an iron fist and revoked

many of his predecessor's reforms. The Filipinos on the other hand, struggled to defend
their gains under the previous regime. By this time, they were already marked by the
conservative Spaniards for elimination.
The Cavite Mutiny provided the pretext for the conservatives to eliminate the
Filipino liberals. The Spanish forces arrested several known liberals amongthem were
José Ma. Basa, Antonio Ma. Regidor, Balvino Mauricio, Joaquin Pardo de Tavera, and
Filipino secular priests like Pedro Dandan and Toribio H. Del Pilar, the brother of future
propagandist Marcelo H. Del Pilar. Fathers Gomes, Burgos, and Zamora were arrested
because of a note from Fr. Zamora informing his fellows to mutiny at night and "bring
powder and shot" Actually the three priests were to gamble that night and the powder
and shot were code names for betting money in the panguingue card game. They were
pinned down by a false witness named Francisco Zaldua who pointed out the three
priests were indeed out to lead a government that would overthrow the Spaniards and
install Father Burgos as the future leader of the Philippines. Despite their protests and
insufficient evidence, the three priests were garrotted at Bagumbayan on February 17,
1872. The other accused were deported to Guam in the Marianas and were not allowed
to return as long as Spain ruled the Philippines.
At that time, Rizal was a young eleven-year old boy. When asked why the
three secular priests were executed, he was told to hush up as the Spaniards had
become suspicious about anyone wishing to know about what happened in 1872. The
GOMBURZA execution awakened the nationalism of the Filipinos and they became
aware of the fact that anyone or anything threatening Spanish superiority in the country
would be severely dealt with. Filipinos with liberal tendencies would be threatened
with reprisals. The Mercado family had a special relationship with one of the priests
as Father Burgos was a professor and friend of Paciano. Their link with the martyred
priests would be treated with suspicion by authorities. Paciano quit college after the
execution and related the story of their martyrdom to his younger brother.
Several years later, José wrote about Burgos:
"He awakened my intellect and made me understand goodness and justice. His
fare well words I will always remember-I have tried to pass on to you what I received
from my teachers. Do the same for those who come after you."

Rizal dedicated his second novel "El Filibusterismo" to the memory of the
GOMBURZA priests offering as "a tardy wreath on your unknown tombs!"

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