Rizal's Life : Family, Childhood, and Early Education

 RIZAL'S FAMILY

Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in the town of Calamba, province of Laguna. Calamba, then a town with around three to four thousand inhabitants, is located 54 kms. south of Manila. It is found in the heart of a region known for its agricultural prosperity and is among the major producers of sugar and rice, with an abundant variety of tropical fruits. On the southern part of the town lies the majestic Mount Makiling, and on the other side is the lake called Laguna de Bay. The wonders of creation that surrounded Rizal made him love nature from an early age. His student memoirs show how his love for nature influenced his appreciation of the arts and sciences (Coates, 1992).

(Left: Map showing Mount Makiling and Laguna de Bay; Right: Mount Makiling viewed from Calamba, Laguna)

 

The Rizals were a well-off and distinguished family in Calamba. Through hard and honest work as farmers in a Dominican-owned land where they harvested rice, corn, and sugarcane, they were able to live well. They raised pigs, chickens, and turkeys in their backyard. Additionally, Doña Teodora managed a small store in their house as well as a sugar and flour mill. The family lives in a large stone house near the town church - it was among the first concrete houses to be built in the town. Rafael Palma, one of the first biographers of Jose Rizal, described the family's house:

"The house was high and even sumptuous, a solid and massive earthquake-proof structure with sliding shell windows. Thick walls of lime and stone bounded the first floor; the second floor was made entirely of wood except for the roof, which was made of red tile, in the style of the buildings in Manila at that time. Francisco himself selected the hardest woods from the forest and had them sawed; it took him more than two years to construct the house. At the back there was an azotea and a wide, deep cistern to hold rain water for home use.”

They participated in social and religious gatherings in the community and were gracious and hospitable hosts to guests and visitors during town fiestas and other celebrations.  

(Rizal Home in Calamba, Laguna)

Jose Rizal's parents, Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso, loved their children but never spoiled them. They were strict parents and they trained their children to love God, to behave well, to be obedient, and to respect other people especially their elders. 

 

Francisco's earliest traceable ancestors were Siang-co and Zunnio, who later gave birth to Lam-co. Lam-co is said to have come from the district of Fujian in southern China and migrated to the Philippines in the late 1600s. In 1697, he was baptized in Binondo, adopting "Domingo" as his first name. He married Ines de la Rosa of a known entrepreneurial family in Binondo. Domingo and Ines later settled in the estate of San Isidro Labrador, owned by the Dominicans. In 1731, they had a son whom they named Francisco Mercado. The surname "Mercado", which means market, was a common surname adopted by many Chinese merchants at that time (Reyno, 2012).

 

Francisco Mercado became one of the richest in Biñan and owned the largest herd of carabaos. He was also active in local politics and became capitan del pueblo in 1783. He had a son named Juan Mercado who also became capitan del pueblo in 1808, 1813, and 1823.

 

Juan Mercado married Cirila Alejandra, a native of Biñan. They had 13 children, including Francisco Engracio Mercado, the father of Jose Rizal. Following Narciso Claveria's decree in 1849 which ordered the Filipinos to adopt Spanish surnames to improve census data and tax collection, Francisco added the surname Rizal from the word "ricial" meaning "a green field ready for harvest".

 

Being in a privileged family, Francisco Mercado had a good education that started in a Latin school in Biñan. Afterwards, he attended Colegio de San Jose in Manila. In 1848, Francisco married Teodora Alonso who belonged to one of the wealthiest families in Manila. Teodora was educated at the Colegio de Santa Rosa. Rizal described her as "a woman of more than ordinary culture"  and that she is a "mathematician and has read many books"  (Letter to Blumentritt, November 8, 1888).

 

(Jose Rizal's Parents : Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso)

 

Jose Rizal is the seventh among the eleven children of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso. Rizal's siblings were Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria, Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad, and Soledad. Rizal was affectionate to all his siblings. However, he had a very close relation to his only brother Paciano who served as his second father. Paciano as the eldest male of the siblings, looked after Jose even when they were very young. He was responsible, for example, in bringing Jose to his tutor, and when that tutor died, made sure that his young brother studied in their aunt’s house in Biñan. He was also entrusted by their parents to enroll Jose to Ateneo de Municipal. It was also him who supported Jose to pursue his studies in Europe. Jose Rizal highly respected him and valued his advice.

 

(Paciano Rizal)

 

It is not surprising that among the last letters Jose Rizal would write before his eventual execution on 30 December 1896, was for his kuya Paciano, who by then had joined the Katipunan and would soon become a general in the armed revolution against Spain:

“It has been four and a half years that we have not seen or spoken or written to each other, not I believe, because of any lack of affection on my part or on yours, but because knowing each other so well we did not need to speak to understand each other. Now that I am about to die, it is to you that I write to last to tell you how sorry I am to leave you alone in life, bearing all the burden of the family and our aged parents.

 

I think of how you have worked to give me a career; I believe that I tried not to waste my time. My brother, if the fruit has been bitter, it has not been my fault but the fault of circumstances. I know you have suffered a lot for my sake; I am sorry…”

 

– Jose Rizal to Paciano Rizal, 29 December 1896

 

RIZAL'S CHILDHOOD

Rizal had good memories of childhood in Calamba. As a family, they prayed together during the Angelus. There were times when they would stay in the garden exchanging stories. It was in this garden where he learned to appreciate nature. Rizal's childhood was full of love and care shown to him by his parents and siblings. The family yaya, who would assist Rizal due to his poor health, would tell him legends and stories about the nuno and aswang. These fascinated the young Jose, fondly called "Moy" by his family when he was young, which led him to love Filipino folklore.

 

As a young boy, Rizal demonstrated intelligence and learned easily. He observed the different attributes and special qualities of each tree in their compound as well as the wide variety of birds coming to nest in the trees with both artistic and scientific appreciation. From the same simple beginnings, he developed an interest in botany and zoology which endured throughout his life, and which in his years of exile became an occupation and a solace.

 

(Picture of young Jose Rizal taken in 1873)

 

Being a frail child, he was quiet and thoughtful, always more of an observer than a participant. As soon as he could use his hands, he began to create things. In the rear compound of the family house was a small nipa-palm hut which Rizal made his lair. Here is where he would bring precious books from the family library to read and practice one of his hobbies - clay modelling.

(Replica of the Nipa Hut in the Rizal residence)

 

He was commonly described as having an undersized body with an unusually large head. A Filipino priest and family friend was remembered mentioning the following comment after noticing the unusual size of the child's head during his baptism:

“Take good care of this child. Some day he will be a great man.”

 

The young Rizal noticeably had an advanced interest in learning to read and write - he could recite the alphabet at two from listening to his elder sister's lessons. By the age of four, he was able to compose sentences in  Tagalog. Later in his childhood, he wrote a short comedy in Tagalog which was performed publicly and much admired in Calamba.

 

When he was six, a visiting uncle insisted the young Rizal come with him on walks, taught him to ride a horse and to swim, and the importance of exercising regularly. It helped improve Rizal's health and increased his physical strength. The lesson from his uncle also developed discipline in him which is one of his most marked characteristics. 

 

RIZAL'S EARLY EDUCATION

Rizal's first teacher was his mother, Doña Teodora, who taught him how to pray. The heroes mother noticed Rizal's skills in poetry early on and his inclination to reading. She would ask him to write verses. 

 

Just like other children of well-off families in the 19th century, Rizal's first formal education began under a private tutor learning Latin and arithmetic.  His first private tutor was Maestro Celestino followed by Maestro Lucas Padua. His third tutor, Leon Monroy was a former classmate of Rizal's father. The old teacher lived at the Rizal home and honed Rizal's skills in basic Latin, reading, and writing. Unfortunately, lessons with Monroy only lasted for five months.

 

At the age of nine, the parents decided to send the young Jose to a private school in Biñan. It was his Kuya Paciano who accompanied him in the one-and-a-half hour of travel on board a carromata to reach the town. They went to the house of their aunt where Rizal stayed for more than a year. Before leaving his brother, Paciano introduced Rizal to the teacher, Justiniano Aquino Cruz, who was also Paciano's former teacher. 

(A public carromata)

 

After one-and-a-half year of schooling at Biñan, on December 1870, Rizal returned to Calamba. It was decided then that he need not return for the next term, but should study at home as best he can.

Other links:

Teodora Alonso’s Trail of Tears | NHCP | National Historical Commission of the Philippines
CATALYST OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM: GOMBURZA & THE SECULAR MOVEMENT | NHCP | National Historical Commission of the Philippines
“Big Brother’s Tale” | NHCP | National Historical Commission of the Philippines