Childhood Years in Calamba

Dr. Merlita S. Costino

Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonzo Realonda
June 19, 1861
Pilgrimage to Antipolo
June 6, 1868 - Jose and his father left Calamba to go on pilgrimage to Antipolo in order to fulfill his
mother's vow which was made when Jose was born.
After the pilgrimage, Jose and his father to Manila where they visited his sister Saturnina, who was then
a boarding student at La Concordia College in Santa Ana.
Calamba, the Hero's Town
Devoted Son of the Church
Calamba was an hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican Order, which also owned all the lands
around it. It is a picturesque town nestling on a verdant plain covered with irrigated rice fields and
sugar-lands.
In 1876, when he was 15 years old and was a student in Ateneo de Manila, he remembered his beloved
town. Accordingly, he wrote a poem Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo ( In Memory of My Town)
At the age of 3, he began to take part in the family. His mother, who was devout Catholic, taught him
the Catholic prayers.
When he was 5 yrs old, he was able to read haltingly the Spanish family Bible. He loved to go to church,
to pray, to take part in novena to join religious procession
Father Leoncio Lopez, the town priest, were he used to visit to listen to his stimulating opinions in
current event and sound philosophy of life.
The Hero's First Sorrow
The Rizal children were bound together by the ties of love and companionship.
Of all his sisters, Jose loved most little Concha. He was one year older than Concha. He played with her,
and from her, he learned the sweetness of brotherly love.
Earliest Childhood Memories
In 1865, Concha died of sickness when she was only 3yrs old, Jose who was very fond of her cried
bitterly at losing her. The death of little Concha brought him his first sorrow.
The story of the Moth.
Of the story told by Doña Teodora to Jose, it was that of the young moth made the profoundest
impression on him.
The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy days in the family garden.
Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer. By nightfall, Rizal related, his mother gathered
all the children at the house to pray the Angelus.
With nostalgic feeling, he also remembered the happy moonlit nights at the azotea after the rosary.
The aya related stories to Rizal children many stories about fairies; tales of buried treasure and trees
with blooming diamonds, and other fabulous stories.
Another memory of his infancy was the nocturnal walk in the town, especially when there was a moon.
Recounting this childhood experience, Rizal wrote:
“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."
The tragic fate of the young moth, which died a martyr to its illusions, left a deep impress on Rizal’s
mind.
On "The Story of the Moth," Rizal thought that the creature's death was justified because he believed
that to sacrifice one's life for one's ideals is worthwhile.
Lakeshore Reveries
Prodigy of the Pen
During the twilight hours of summertime, Rizal, accompanied by his dog, used to meditate at the shore
of Laguna de Bay on the sad conditions of his oppressed people.
Not only was little Jose skilled in brush, chisel, and pen-knife, but also in pen. He was born poet. His
mother encouraged him to write poetry. At an early age when children usually begin to learn ABC, he
was already writing poems.
He had a black dog named Usman.
.
1869 - At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem entitled "Sa Aking Mga Kabata." (To My Fellow
Children) The poem was written in tagalog and had for its theme "Love of One’s Language."
Artistic Talents
When he was also eight years old, Rizal write his first dramatic work, which was a Tagalog comedy. It
was staged in a festival in Calamba, and was later sold to a gobernadorcillo from Paete for two pesos..
Since early childhood Rizal revealed his god-given talents for the arts.
Influences on Hero’s Boyhood
He drew sketches and pictures on his books of his sisters, for which reason he was scolded by his
mother.
Young that he was, he grieved deeply over the unhappy situation of his beloved fatherland. The Spanish
misdeeds awakened in his boyish heart a great determination to fight tyranny.
He carved figures of animals and persons out of wood. Even before he learned to read, he could already
sketch pictures of birds, flowers, fruits, rivers, mountains, animals and persons.
Jose had a soul of a genuine artist.
In his room, he kept many statuettes which he made out of clay and wax.
At one time, his sisters teased him: “Ute, what are you doing with so many statuettes?” He replied: “
Don’t you know that people will erect monument and statues in my honor for the future?”
In the lives of all men there are influences which cause some to be great and others not. In the case of
Rizal, he had all favorable influences, which no other child in our country enjoyed.
Important lessons learned in his childhood
From the story of the moth and the flame, he realized the sweetness of dying in search of the light. Rizal
came to realize that one has to sacrifice and to suffer the consequences of one’s action for the
attainment of a goal.
From the death of his favorite little sister, It was the first of many grieves, but he quickly realized that life
is a constant struggle and he learned to meet disappointments and sorrows with the tears in the heart
and a smile on the lips.
Hereditary Influence
Aid of the Divine Providence
Environmental Influence
According to biological science, there are inherent qualities which a person inherits from his ancestors
and parents.
From Malayans: evidently, inherited his love for freedom, desire to travel and indomitable courage
From Chinese: derived from serious nature,frugality patience and love for children
From Spaniards: elegance of his father, sensitivity to insult and gallantry
Greater than heredity and environment in the fate of man is the aid of the Divine Providence. A person
may have in everything in life -- brains, wealth and power but, without aid of Divine Providence, he
cannot attain greatness in the annals of the nation
According to psychologists, environmental, as well as heredity affects the nature of a person. It includes
places. associates and events
the end...