BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD

OF JOSE RIZAL

I was born in Calamba on the

19th of June 1861, between
eleven and twelve oclock at
night, a few days before the
full of the moon.
- JOSE RIZAL

* JOSE RIZALS BIRTH *

Born JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONZO REALONDA

Birthdate: JUNE 19, 1861

Place of birth: Calamba, Laguna

The delivery was difficult that her mother almost died.

Her seemingly miraculous survival was attributed to Our Lady of Peace and Good
Voyage (also known as Birhen ng Antipolo)

Because his mother vowed to the Virgin of Antipolo that she would take him on a pilgrimage
on the shrine

BAPTISMAL

Place: Catholic Church of Calamba

Date: JUNE 22, 1861 (three days after his birth)

JOSE RIZAL
and his FAMILY

* JOSE RIZALS PARENTS *

Father: FRANCISCO MERCADO RIZAL

Francisco Engracio Mercado Rizal

From Bian, Laguna

Mother: TEODORA ALONZO REALONDA

Teodora Morales Alonzo Realonda y Quintos

From Manila

* JOSE RIZALS SIBLINGS *

JOSE was the seventh of the eleven children of Francisco and Teodora

THE RIZAL CHILDREN (2 boys and 9 girls):

Saturnina

Paciano

Narcisa

Olympia

Lucia

Maria

JOSE

Concepcion

Josefa

Soledad

JOSE RIZALS ANCESTRY

JOSE RIZAL was a of mixed ancestry.

NEGRITO
INDONESIAN
MALAY
CHINESE
JAPANESE
SPANISH

The RIZAL FAMILY was actually one of the richest

families in Calamba during the times prior to its
persecution by the friars. Rizals parents, by their
industry and frugality, were able to honestly build
up a large fortune. By present-day standards,
they were rich.

JOSE RIZAL IN
CALAMBA
Jose Rizals childhood days in Calamba

When early childhoods happy days

In memory, I see once more
Along the lovely verdant shore
That meets a gently murmuring sea;
From Rizals poem, Un Recuredo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)

* CALAMBA, LAGUNA *

(as described in the poem)

The town of Calamba is situated on a verdant plain by

the rippling Laguna de Bay.

Known as the cradle of a genius

This is where Rizal spent the early years of his childhood.

The beauty of Calmba impressed him as a growing child and deeply influenced
his mind and character.

Ah, tender childhood, lovely town,

rich fount of my felicities,

oh those harmonious melodies
which put to flight all dismal hours.
From Rizals poem, Un Recuredo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)

* CHILDHOOD DAYS IN CALAMBA *

He grew interest in legends and folklores because of his yaya telling him
stories about fairies, tales of buried treasure, and other fabulous stories.

Death of Concha (Concepcion)

Of his sisters, Jose loved most the little Concha. Unfortunately, Concha
died of sickness in 1865 when she was 3 years old.

Rizal being a devoted son of church

He grew up as a good Catholic. He also wrote poems as evidence of his

fervent Catholic spirit (such as La Alianza Intima Entre La Religion y La Buena
Educacion (1876), and A La Virgen Maria).

* CHILDHOOD DAYS IN CALAMBA *

PILGRIMAGE TO ANTIPOLO

On June 6, 1868, Jose and his father went on a pilgrimage to fulfill his
mothers vow when he was born.

FIRST EDUCATION FROM HIS MOTHER

His mother was his first teacher. She taught him how to read and say
prayers. She disciplined him (spanked him for his misbehaviors and
disobedience).

* CHILDHOOD DAYS IN CALAMBA *

Jose Rizal had three uncles (brothers of his mother), who played a great part
in the early education of Rizal.

Uncle GREGORIO was a lover of books. He instilled into the mind of Jose a great
love for books.

Uncle JOSE encouraged his nephew to paint, sketch, and sculpture.

Uncle MANUEL looked after the physical training of his sickly nephew. He
encouraged Jose to learn swimming, fencing, wrestling, and other sports, so that in
later years, Joses body will acquire agility, endurance and strength.

JOSE RIZALS
LOVE FOR ART

Since early childhood Rizal revealed his God-given

talents for the arts.

He drew sketches and pictures on his books and on the books of his
sisters

He carved figures of animals and persons out of wood

Even before he learned how to read, he could already sketch

pictures of birds, flowers, fruits, rivers, mountains, animals and
persons.

Jose had a gift for magic. He can perform many tricks which
dazzled the eyes of onlookers.

JOSE RIZALS WRITINGS

(at a young age)

Not only was little Jose skilled in brush, chisel, and

pen-knife, but also in PEN. He was a born poet.

His mother encouraged him to write poetry.

At an early age, he was already writing poems.

The first known poem that he wrote was a Tagalog

poem entitled Sa Aking Mga Kababata (To My Fellow
Children).
He

wrote this in an appeal to our people to love our national

language.

Si Gat Jose Rizal nooy nagwika

Siya ay nagpangaral sa ating bansa
Ang di raw marunong magmahal sa sariling wika
ay higit pa ang amoy sa mabahong isda.

Additional fact:
Jose

Rizal, before he was 8 years old, he wrote a

Tagalog drama. This drama was staged in Calamba in
connection with the town fiesta.

The

gobernadorcillo of Paete, Laguna witnessed the

play and was impressed and bought the manuscript
from the 8-year-old Jose for two pesos (which was
quite a huge money back then).

This

inspired him to develop his literary talent.

INFLUENCES ON
JOSE RIZALS BOYHOOD

* HEREDITARY INFLUENCE *

According to biological science, there are inherent traits

or qualities which a person inherit from his ancestors and
parents.

From his Malayan ancestors, he inherited his passionate love for

freedom

From his Chinese ancestors, he inherited his 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

From his mother, he inherited his religious nature, the spirit of

self-sacrifice, and the passion for arts and literature

* ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE *

According to psychology, environment affects the nature of a

person.

Environmental influence includes places, associates, and events.

The scenic beauties of Calamba stimulated the artistic and literary

talents of Jose Rizal.

The religious atmosphere at his home fortified his religious nature.

The way his family treated him and the people who contributed to his
early learning / education

The sorrows he had undergone (like the death of Concha and his
mothers imprisonment) helped strengthen his character.

The Spanish abuses and cruelties awakened his spirit of patriotism.

* AID OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE *

GOD had endowed him with the versatile talents

of a rare genius, the unsurpassed spirit of
nationalism and the valiant heart to sacrifice
himself for a noble cause (that our suffering
people be emancipated from Spanish tyranny).