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RIZAL’S HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS ANDTHE PHILIPPINES WITHIN A CENTURY: An Attempt At Post-ModernistInterpretationBY: FAINA C. ABAYA-ULINDANGProfessor, MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITYMARAWI CITYIntroductionThis paper is an attempt at presenting Rizal’s two famous essay- “The Philippi...

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RIZAL’S HISTORIOGRAPHY IN THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINOS AND THE PHILIPPINES WITHIN A CENTURY: An Attempt At Post-Modernist Interpretation BY: FAINA C. ABAYA-ULINDANG Professor, MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY MARAWI CITY

Introduction This paper is an attempt at presenting Rizal’s two famous essay- “The Philippines Within a Century” and “The Indolence of the Filipino” along a post modernist interpretation of the 21st century historiography. I believe this is relevant in our commemoration of Rizal’s 150th birthday as we try to focus on the changes he may have had left to us as his legacy. As Ambeth Ocampo advised,, our appreciation of Rizal could have been more meaningful and substantial if only we look at the man behind the facade of greatness his adulators have created; an understanding that like the rest of us, he too was a creature/creation of his own time; and Rizal without his overcoat, so to speak, has written Philippine history premised on the necessities of his time. That necessity of course was the demand for reforms in the colonial Philippines. As Carl Becker in 1931 said ,”Everyman [is] his own historian” which was affirmed by Charles Beard in 1934 who said that ‘’each historian who writes history is the product of his age”(in Himmelfarb/Jenkins 1996:159) I also believe that being a History teacher of Rizal Course for more than thrity years, a better appreciation of Rizal’s writings in the intellectual history of our country should be one that would interrogate these two important essays in the light of their 21st century relevance. Why I chose these two essays for an historiographical analysis is founded on: 1.They give us Rizal’s tripartite interpretation of history where the past is always better than the present; the present is always dismal and presents a lot of challenges, and that the future will recover the past glory-if only---- which is the common view held by the nationalists during the Propaganda period.

2. His historiography or method of presenting history was founded on, but not strictly to, the rules of evidence which is basic in modern historiography. As we live in the world of post-modernism where liberation from societal convention becomes the order of the day or that rules that were once constructed to stabilize and harmonize society are deconstructed to give way to man’s creative energies and, in the case of the social sciences ,to free it from constricting framework of methodologies or discipline as one may say. As a result of this feminist herstory,multi-cultural studies,gender studies,ethnic studies have prospered. We do live in interesting times. With this in mind, I would like to approach these two essays by way of the following questions: 1. While Rizal’s classicist style may just be a reflection of mainstream literature, he opted a defensive posture rather than otherwise, why? 2. How did Rizal approach the problems of historical writings of his times? 3. Can his historical writings bear the scrutiny of modern historiography? 4. What would the post-modernist say about his writings? Before I proceed, a caveat is in order. I premised my essay on the idea of Hayden White’s(the so-called high priest of post-modernism in history) indeterminacy and on the whole, their belief that 1)search for the absolute truth and, 2)objectivity are impossible to attain as goals because History can never be captured and written in its entirety. However, I would not deal with the quarrel of Gertrude Himmelfarb et al with the post-modern luminaries such as Michel Foucault, Roland Barthes, Derrida . I would refrain from using their jargon only to avoid being enmeshed into their rhetorics. As best as I could, with History being my training, I will try to project clarity amidst post-modenist ambiguity. THE PHILIPPINES WITHIN A CENTURY This essay that appeared in the La Solidaridad (earlier than The Indolence...) was serialized between September 30 to February 1885. Although written in four parts, where only the last part focused on his reading of world events and his predictions, it, among others, was popularly known as to have proven Rizal’s genius. Apparently, his correct reading of America’s intention to colonize an Asian territory, probably the Philippines, in comparison with the European powers whose eyes during those times in mid-1800s were already set on Africa, was correct. He also mentioned of Japan being more inclined to annex Korea rather than the Philippines not only because of its geographic propinquity but also due to Japanese pragmatism. He , also correctly predicted that China might be dismembered (into several spheres of influence).

However, Rizal’s so-called predictions did not fit the entire hundred years, as our country, which, in his opinion will opt a federal government, is yet to happen. The rest of the three parts of the long essay narrated our country’s history; details of which he probably reserved for his next essay- The Indolence of the Filipino. As this essay was written after his annotation of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Felipinas, Rizal cited historical antecedents that supported his thesis- that we were a country on the verge of glory (or `take off’ as present day politicians would say) were it not for the unfortunate coming of the conquistadores that aborted our becoming a nation. Then the dismal present of Spanish ineptness, cruelty and friar domination were narrated as givens. Hence, as the current situation that Filipinos were situated in during that time was not very promising in terms of reforms, alternative scenarios were offered. But more than narrating the Philippines glorious past and lamenting on the dismal present, Rizal’s reading of the Filipino character allows us to see through a window of his (Filipino) personality, to wit:

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So great endurance reached its climax with the insults, and the lethargic spirit woke up to life. His sensitiveness, the chief trait of the native, was touched and while he had the forbearance to suffer and die under a foreign flag, he had it not when they whom he served repaid his sacrifices with insults and jests. Then he begun to study himself and realize his misfortune. Those who had not expected this result, like all despotic masters, regarded as a wrong every complaint, every protest, and punished it with death, endeavoring to stifle every cry of sorrow with blood, and they made mistake after mistake.(Derbyshire/Zaide 1983:366)

Rizal’s warned of a patient, suffering Filipino who would inevitably realize that need for liberation; an awakening abetted by the colonizers own inhumanity. Thus, if such were the Filipino of the Spanish period cant we not also say the same –a resonance of the martial law years as well several other events. To the Filipinos’long suffering’, Rizal added ‘loyalty and obedience’. As proof of this, the Filipino paid his taxes and served the colonizers whereever and whenever he was needed. He fought Spain’s enemies-the Moros of the South, the Dutch, the British and the Chinese pirates. Therefore he deserved fair treatment- through the giving of rights as any ordinary citizen and representation to the Spanish Cortes.

We can also read this to mean that for Rizal, the revolts, uprisings, before and during the Spanish colonization amounted to nothing because these were all merely reactive or defensive. Besides, the important element of cohesion or unity vis-a-vis the coercive machinery of his Spanish master was lacking- thanks to the long-suffering Filipino who endured three hundered years of oppresion. But Rizal hastened to add that there are exceptions. There were those who ‘’among the dominant race that tried to struggle for the rights of humanity and justice, or sordid and cowardly ones among the dominated that aided the debasement of their own country.”(Derbyshire/Zaide,p.367) Clearly the defensive rather than radical posture of Rizal bolstered his advocacy for reforms and in this essay- he wanted to assert on the need for freedom of the press and representation to the Spanish Cortes. Freedom of speech will the deter Filipinos from violence because obviously, a peaceful, less bloody alternative to social change is preferable; while representation will give the Filipinos a voice for the decision makers to consider.The one responsible will be beholden to the people he would represent and therefore will be restrained from abusing his post. These two reforms will develop the character of the Filipino and would become better Hispanized and appreciative of his colonizer. However, while Rizal was talking of Hispanization i.e. political integration into the Spanish Empire, he was also lamenting on the loss of native culture and the concomitant inferior attitude it fostered. He was also proposing an assimilation of Spanish culture into Filipino. For according to him- an alien culture, thrust in the midst of an overwhelming native culture must allow itself to naturally mingle and thus be absorbed by it. If only for its own survival. For Rizal this is the only alternative left for Spain because, for the long three hundred years of colonization, she kept herself aloof from the natives. These three million natives will inevitably excise this alien body if it would not lend itself as a useful part of the whole. According to him: ...(I)f the dominators do not enter into the spirit of their inhabitants, if equitable laws and free and liberal reforms do not make each forget that they belong to different race, or if both peoples be not amalgamated to constitute one mass, socially and politically, homogenous, that is, not harrassed by opposing tendencies and interests some day the Philippines will fatally and infallibly declare themselves independent.(Derbyshire/Zaide p.386)

Hence, to develop a better relationship with the Filipinos will be good for the mother country than it would be otherwise. Contary to the claim of the friars that the Filipino is only at his best when he is beside his carabao and he doesn’t know any better,Rizal said that it was

actually the friar who was dependent on the native who fed him.It is the friar who feared that an enlightened native will disrupt the status quo he was very comfortable with. Without the services of the ignorant native there will be no excuse for further colonization. To keep the Filipino under perpetual subjection would thus be the dream of the colonizer. But the inevitability of awakening will one day dawn on the colonizer when Filipinos finally declare separation. Rizal still wanted to be diplomatic and thus defensive, not militant. The essay may even relate to the present need for reforms in governance, which for me speaks of post-modern indeterminacy .Rizal made use of historical sources; was careful of his facts but such were so selected so they will prove his point of a tripartite approach of historical writing. THE INDOLENCE OF THE FILIPINO This long essay of five parts, longer than the “Phiippines Within a Century “, was serialized in La Solidaridad from July 15 to September 15,1890 in five installments. He would again assumed his diplomatic, defensive stance as in the previous essay and would rather approach the issue as the effect rather than the cause of the Philippines’retrogression from its pre-colonial glory to current colonial misery. “ Ïndolence does actually and positively exist...only that instead of holding it to be the cause of backwardness and the trouble, we regard it as the effect of the trouble and the backwardness by fostering the development of a lamentable predisposition.”(Derbyshire/Zaide p.335) This predisposition to indolence was attributed to natural and historical causes. Dwelling on the importance of rest and protection from the midday heat, the Filipino physical constitution was not meant for hard labor as the Westerners were wont to do. The debilitating heat would have the effect of dehydration and the Filipino may die if he would not develop the survival mechanism of rest and protection from the elements. Incidentally, we could also impute the legendary Juan Tamad as a sensible Filipino whose respect for nature was reciprocated with abundance of natural resources. We are all aware that our ancestors developed rituals all aimed at giving due respect to Mother Earth. In other words, for the Filipino, greed that would destroy the environment would eventually result in what we now know as climate change, which is nature’s revenge, and this with drastic consequences. History was not very kind to the Filipino that from a pre-colonial period of greatness and prosperity there followed a long three hundred years of stagnation and violence producing a colonized native who is demoralized with no hope of a better future. It would then, be in this

essay where Rizal endeavored to provide us with a well- cited historical discourse of sources authored by Spaniards and other foreigners to bolster his arguments on Filipino industry. These were Pigafetta of the Magellan expedition, a certain Dr. Hirth who translated a Chinese manuscript of the 13 th century Philippines, Antonia de Morga who was an important Spanish official in the country, the Father Colin and other Spanish friars, who all attested to the islands’ prosperity, industry and abundance. Incidentally, it is from this same essay where we become aware of the “first act of piracy recoded in Philippine history”. From Pigafetta’s account, it was said that the chief of Paragua (Palawan) was captured by fleeing Spaniards-the remnants of Magellan’s expedition. “They let him ransom himself within seven days, demanding 400 measures of rice, 20 pigs, 20 goats and 450 chickens....The chief of Paragua paid everything, and moreover, voluntarily added coconuts, bananas and sugar cane jars filled with palm wine. ..His conduct, while it may reveal weakness, also demonstrates that the islands wee abundantly provisioned. This chief was named Tuan Mahamud, his brother Guantil, and his son, Tuan Mahamud (Martin Mendez, Purser of the ship Victoria; Archivo de Indias in Derbyshire/Zaide p. 340) Antonio de Morga in his Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas lamented the absence of Filipinos’s pre-colonial industry such as cotton-weaving, metallurgy-where they specialized in transforming gold and iron into beautiful jewelry, shipbuilding of swift and lightweight vintas; and trade and commerce with the Chinese and Arabs, exchanging sea and forest products for Chinese and Indonesian jars and other luxuries. These vanished industries was attributed by Rizal to the violence of early colonization. A long narrative of almost four parts in the essay focused on the consequent depopulation of the country. For the first thirty years of colonization the entire countries population was almost reduced to one-third. He mentioned of the island of Dumangas near Cebu where, because of the male population’s exceptional talent as sailors, was almost depopulated because they were all sent to Moluccas to fight the Dutch but never came back. Naturally, Rizal would conclude, this would have a great impact on the socio-cultural well-being of the Filipino. To wit: First came the wars, the internal disorders which the new change of affairs naturally brought with it. It was necessary to subject the people either by cajolery or force; there were fights, there was slaughter; those who had submitted peacefully seemed to repent of it; insurrections were suspected, and some occurred; naturally there were executions, and many capable laborers perished. Add to this the condition of disorder with the invasion of Limahong; continual wars winto which the inhabitants of the Philippines were plugned to maintain the honor of Spain; to extend the sway of

her flag in Borneo, in the Moluccas and in Indo-China; to repel the Dutch foe; costly wars, fruitless expeditions, in which each time thousands and thousands of native archers and rowers wee recorded to have embarked, but whether they returned to their homes was never stated.(Derbyshire/Zaide p.343)

Moreover,the depressing three hundred years of Spanish colonial rule –from piratical attacks, to the debilitating galleon construction, to the cruelty of abusive encomendero in exacting tribute,to the cunning friar who, disguised as protectors from these encomenderos were in reality their oppressors and transformed them to become unthinking religious fanatics without culture and bereft of their former dignity. Added to this was the penchant for gambling. Through a linguistic analysis, Rizal was convinced that it was the Spaniard who introduced gambling; and coupled with the idea of predestination promoted by religion, the Filipino became even lazier than ever. With no hope for a better future here on earth, the present was relegated to chance-as it might still bring a measure of happiness while still earthbound. Over-all, the essay would still attempt at balance. Indolence, if it persists, should not be blamed upon nature and history alone. The future could still be redeemed through education and training. The Filipinos need to be well-educated to contribute to the material progress of the country. Agriculture, trade and commerce are the key to this. It would be the duty of the educated class to be the spokesmen of the Filipinos in seeking for reforms only the Mother country-Spain could grant. For before there be material progress, ignorance bred by indolence should first be eradicated. Rizal ended his essay by calling for reforms-the granting of rights, equality and the end of friar domination. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION: A POST-MODERNIST REFLECTION When Rizal wrote his two essays, history as a social science discipline was yet to be born. However, traditional history writing was already well developed and Rizal’s research in the libraries of Europe came in handy. The method of gathering data, where premium was given to eyewitnesses account was largely emphasized and we found this to be true in this two essays. Before Rizal wrote these ,he had already written his annotation of Morga’s Sucesos . By being one of the precursors of the Reform Movement, history became a convenient argument for their demand s of restoration of Filipino dignity. Thus,these two essays were well-cited and would assume a scholarly, defined by modernist historians as scientific, stance. Therefore, the credibility of sources would be laid to scrutiny as well as Rizal’s selection and motive in writing these pieces.

Selectivity,objectivity and fallibility All historians, both modernist and post-modernist agree that the scientific method specially in history writing is no guarantee that it would provide the vast canvas of absolute complete Truth of the past.. The very nature of the past, the province of History,- which can never be captured in its entirety and could only be approximated, in a product which is historical writing-thus, modernist historians are meticulous in their use of sources, their selection and try their best to approximate a balanced, therefore objective account of their work and hope that what they wrote would at best, provide what would be the most probable, in the entire scheme of The Past. The fallibility of historical writing has drawn critics in recent years and the result was a new genre of what we now know as historical fiction / fictional history. Serious historians who still believe in the order or discipline of history writing/historiography are nourished by their belief that amidst the chaos of post-modernism(after modernism) that tried to deconstruct or dismantle tried and true conventions of historical writing,and dismiss these as mere products of historians’imagination, sense would still prevail. When Rizal used evidence to support his thesis of our country’s pre-colonial greatness, he was not actually being traditional, modernist or even post-modernist. He lived at the time when Scientific progress spelled the redemption of the world from the evils of absolutism,obscurantism amd conservatism. Spain was on the verge of being irrelevant and the Great Britain,Holland, Germany, France and the United States, as we have seen in his “The Philippines Within a Century” , are the countries that mattered. His use of sources was highly placed and speaks of an attempt at a scientific historical writing where credibility of sources is p...