CHAPTER 2
CHILDHOOD YEARS IN CALAMBA
CALAMBA, THE HERO’STOWN
• Calamba was a hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican order, which also owned all the
lands around it. It is a picturesque town nesting an verdant plain covered with irrigated ricefields
and sugar-lands. A few kilometers to the south looms the legendary Mount Makiling in Soloment
grandeur, and beyond this mountain is the province of Batangas . East of the town is the Laguna
de Bay, an inland lake of songs and emerald waters beneath the canopy of azure skies . In the
middle of the lake towers the storied island of Talim, and beyond it towards the north is the
distant Antipolo, famous mountain shrine of the miraculous Lady of peace and Good Voyage
• Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo ( In Memory of My Town)
When I remember the days when I behold the white lily
that saw my early childhood swell to the wind’s impulsion,
spent on the green shores and that tempestuous element
of a murmurous lagoon; meekly asleep on the sand;
when I remember the coolness, when I inhale the dear
delicious and refreshing, intoxicating essence
that on my face I felt the flowers exude when dawn
as I heard Favonius croon; is smiling on the land;
Ah, yes, my awkward foot
sadly, sadly I recall explored your sombre
your visage, precious woodlands,
childhood, and on the banks of your
which an affectionate mother rivers
made beautiful and bright; in frolic I took part.
I recall a simple town, I prayed in your rustic temple,
my comfort, joy and cradle, a child, with a child’s
beside a balmy lake, devotion;
the seat of my delight. and your unsullied breeze
exhilarated my heart.
The Creator I saw in the
Tender childhood, beautiful
grandeur
town,
of your age-old forests;
rich fountain of rejoicing
upon your bosom, sorrows
and of harmonious music
were ever unknown to me;
that drove away all pain:
while at your azure skies
return to this heart of mine,
I gazed, neither love nor
return my gracious hours,
tenderness
return as the birds return
failed me, for in nature
when flowers spring again!
lay my felicity.
But O goodbye! May the
Spirit
of Good, a loving gift-giver,
keep watch eternally over
your peace, your joy, your
sleep!
For you, my fervent pryers;
for you, my constant desire
to learn; and I pray heaven
your innocence to keep!
EARLIEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
• The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy days in the family garden when he was three years old.
Because he was a frail, sickly, and undersized child, he was given the tenderest care by his parents. His father built a
nipa cottage in the garden for him to play the day time.
• They employed an aya (nurse maid)
• The daily Angelus prayer
• Happy moonlit nights at the azotea
• The nocturnal walk in the town, especially when there was a moon
• Many stories about fairies, tales of burned treasure and trees blooming with diamonds, and other fabulous stories.
• Rizal wrote “ Thus my heart fed on sombre and melancholic thoughts so that even while still a child, I already wandered
on wings of fantasy in the high regions of the unknown”.
RIZAL FIRST SORROW
• The little concha (Concepcion) unfortunately, concha died of sickness in 1865 when she was
only three year years old. Jose, who was fond of her, cried bitterly at losing her. “ when I was
four years old”, he said “ I lost my little sister concha, and then for the first time I shed tears
caused by love and grief.
DEVOTED SON OF THE CHURCH
• At the age of three, he began to take part in the family prayers. His mother, who was a devout
catholic, taught him the catholic prayers. When he was five years old, he was able to read
haltingly the Spanish Family Bible.
• He was laughingly called manong Jose by the Hermanos and HermanasTerceras because he is
seriously devout.
• He loved to go to church, to pray, to take part in novenas, and to join the religious processions.
• He used to visit Father Leoncio Lopez a learned Filipino priest and listen to his stimulating
opinions on current events and sound philosophy of life.
PILGRIMAGE TO ANTIPOLO
• In order to fulfill his mother vow when Jose was born, Jose and his father left
calamba to go on Pilgrimage to Antipolo on June 6, 1868.
• First trip across Laguna de Bay and First Pilgrimage to Antipolo.
• Casco (barge)
• " the magnificence of the watery expanses and the silence of the night"
• "with what pleasure I saw the sunrise; for the first time. I saw how the luminous
rays shone, producing a brilliant effect on the ruffled surface of the wide lake.
PILGRIMAGETO ANTIPOLO
• The Virgin of Antipolo, and went to
manila with his father.
They visited Saturnina who is a boarding
student in La Concordia College in Santa
Ana.
THE STORY OF THE MOTH
• The story told by Doña Teodora to his
favorite son, Jose, that of the young moth
made the profoundest impression on him.
THE STORY OF THE
MOTH
•"died a martyr to its illustions"
• He justified such noble death, asserting that "
to sacrifice one's life for it," meaning for an
ideal, is " worthwhile".
ARTISTIC TALENTS
•
The age of five, he began to make sketches with
his pencil and to mould clay and wax objects.
" All right laugh at me now!
someday when I die, people will make
monuments and images of me!".
FIRST POEM BY RIZAL
•At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his
first poem in the native language Sa
Aking Mga Kababata (To My Fellow
Children).
•This poems reveals Rizal's earliest nationalist sentinent.
• "the bird which soars to freer space above" and that
tagalog os the equal pf latin, English, Spanish, and any
other language.h
FIRST DRAMA BY RIZAL
•Wrote his first dramatic work was a tagalog
comedy. and said it is staged in festival in Calamba
and appluaded by the audience.
• The manuscript purchased for 2 pesos by a
goberadorcillo from Paete.
RIZAL AS BOY MAGICIAN
•Since early manhood Rizal had been interested in magic with his
dexterous hands, he learned various tricks
• entertained his town folks with magic-lantern exhibitions.
• also gained skill in manipulating marionettes ( puppet show).
• in his second noble El Filibusterismo (Treason) in chapter XVII
AND XVIII he revealed his wide knowledge of magic.
LAKESHORE REVERIES
•During the twilight hours of summertime rizal, accompanied by his pet dog, used to
meditate at the shore of Laguna de Bay on the sad conditioms of his oppressed people.
•He wrote to his friend, Mariano Ponce: " In view these injustices and cruelties atlhough
yet a child, my imagination was awakened and I made a vow dedicating myself
someday to avenge the amny victims with this idea in my mind, I studied, and this is
seen all my writngs. Someday God will give me the oppurtunity to fullfill my promise."
INFLUENCES ON THE HERO'S BOYHOOD
1. Hereditary Influence
MALAYAN ANCESTORS
• inherited his love for freedom
• his innate desire to travel and his indomitable courage.
CHINESE ANCESTORS
• he derived his serious nature, frugality, patiemce, and
love for children
SPANISH ANCESTORS
• he got his elegance bearing
• sensitivity to insult
• and gallantry to ladies.
• from his father he inherited a profound sense of self-respect.
• The love for work, and the habit of independent thinking.
• from his mother, he inherited his relegious nature, the spirit of
self-sacrifice, and the passion for arts and literature.
2. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE
• The scenic beauties of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the Rizal family.
• Religious atmosphere at his home fortified his religious nature.
• His brother, Paciano, instilled in his mind the love for freedom and justice
• from his sisters, he learned to be courteous and kind to women
• the fairytales told by his aya awakened his interest in folklore and legends.
THE THREE UNCLES
• Tio Jose Alberto - artistic ability
• Tio Manuel- his frail body by means of physical
exercises.
• Tio Gregorio- a book lover, intensified voracious readi
g of good booksy
• Father Leoncio Lopez - fostered Rizal's love for scholarship
and intellectual honesty.
• The death of Concha and the imprisonment of his mother in
1871-74 contributed to strengthen his character enabling him
to resist blows of adversity in later years.
• the execution of fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora in 1872
awakened his spirit of patriotism and inspired him to
consecrate his life and talents to redeem his appressed
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3. AID OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE
• Rizal has providentially destine to be pride and glory
of his nation. Hod had endowed him with the versatile
gifts of genius,
• the vibrant spirit of nationalist, and the valiant heart to
sacrifice for a noble cause.
THANKYOU !
Reporter:
Janerell L. Porlares
