Childhood Years in CalambaCHAPTER 2

BADWAL, SUKHWINDER K.

OBJECTIVES

To be able to know the childhood years of Jose Rizal in Calamba

To know what he achieved in a young age

To be able to know what events in his life made him love his nation and fight for freedom.

Jose Rizal grew up in a happy home, ruled by good parents, bubbling with joy, and sanctified by God’s blessings.

His native town is Calamba. Its scenic beauties and industrious, hospitable, and friendly folks impressed him during his childhood years and profoundly affected his mind and character.

Calamba, the Hero’s Town

Calamba was a hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican Order, which also owned all the lands around it.

House of Jose Rizal in Calamba

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 sick child, he was given the tenderest care by his parents. His father built a little nipa cottage in the garden for him to play in the day time.

Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer. By nightfall, his mother gathered all the children at the house to pray the Angelus.

Another memory of his infancy was the nocturnal walk in the town. The maid took him for a walk in the moonlight by the river.

The Hero’s First Sorrow

Jose loved most the little Concha (Concepcion). He was a year older than Concha. He played with her and from her he learned the sweetness of a sisterly love.

Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness in 1865 when she was three years old. Jose, who was very fond of her, cried bitterly at losing her. “When I was four years old, 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 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.

Father Leoncio Lopez- he is the town priest. Jose Rizal used to visit him and listen to his stimulating opinions on current events and sound philosophy of life.

Pilgrimage to Antipolo

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

It was the first trip of Jose across Laguna de Bay. After praying at the shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo, Jose and his father went to Manila. It was the first time Jose saw Manila. They visited Saturnina, who was then a boarding student at La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.

Artistic Talents

Since early childhood Rizal revealed his God-given talent for art. At the age of five, he began to make sketches with his pencil and to mold in 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

Rizal possessed a God-given gift for literature. Since early boyhood he had scribbled verses on loose sheets of paper and on the textbooks of his sisters. His mother who was a lover of literature, noticed his poetic inclination and encouraged him to write poetry.

At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language entitled Sa Aking mga Kababata (To My Fellow Children).

TO MY FELLOW CHILDREN

Whenever people of a country truly love

The language which by heav’n they were taught to use

That country also surely liberty pursue

As does the bird which soars to freer space above.

For language is the final judge and referee

Upon the people in the land where it holds sway;

To make our human race resembles in this way

The other living beings born in liberty.

Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue

Is worse than any beast or evil smelling fish.

To make our language richer ought to be our wish

The same as any mother loves to feed her young.

Tagalog and the Latin language are the same

And English and Castilian and the angels’ tongue;

And God, whose watchful care o’er all is flung,

Has given us His blessing in the speech we claim,

Our mother tongue, like all the highest that we know

Had alphabet and letters of its very own;

But these were lost --- by furious waves were overthrown

Like bancas in the stormy sea, long years ago.

First Drama by Rizal

Rizal, who was eight years old, wrote his first dramatic work which was in Tagalog comedy. It is said that it was staged in a Calamba festival and was delightfully applauded by the audience.

Rizal as Boy Magician

Since early manhood Rizal had been interested in magic. With his dexterous hands, he learned various tricks. He entertained his town folks with magic-lantern exhibitions.

In later years when he attained manhood, he continued his keen predilection for magic. He read many books on magic and attended the performances of the famous magicians of the world.

Influences on the Hero’s Boyhood

1.Hereditary Influence2.Environmental Influence3.Aid of Divine Providence

Hereditary Influence

From his Malayan ancestors, Rizal inherited his love for freedom, his innate desire to travel, and his indomitable courage.

From his Chinese ancestors, he derived his serious nature, frugality, patience, and love for children.

From his Spanish ancestors, he got his elegance of 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.

And from his mother, he inherited his religious nature, the spirit of self-sacrifice, and the passion for arts and literature.

Environmental Influence

The scenic beauties of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the Rizal family stimulated the inborn artistic and literary talents of Jose Rizal.

The 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.

His three uncles, inspired him to develop his artistic ability, to develop his frail body and intensified his voracious reading of good books.

Father Leoncio Lopez, fostered Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

The death of his sister Concha and the imprisonment of his mother, contributed to strengthen his character, enabling him to resist blows of adversity in later years.

The Spanish cruelties and abuses awakened his spirit of patriotrism and inspired him to consecrate his life and talents to redeem his oppressed people.

Aid of Divine Providence

Rizal was providentially destined to be the pride and glory of his nation. God had endowed him with the versatile gifts of a genius, the vibrant spirit of a nationalist, and the valiant heart to sacrifice for a noble cause.