Presented by: Group 3 ( BSSW-1A)

LESSON OBJECTIVES:
1. Describe Rizal’s Purpose in Annotating
Morga’s Book
2. Identify the Differences Between Morga’s
Original Text and Rizal’s Annotations
3. Understand that Rizal's annotations
contributed to raising awareness about
Filipino pride and history.
Birth: November 29, 1559 in
Seville, Spain
Death: July 21, 1636 at the age
of 77.
Education Background:
• Studied law at the University of
Salamanca

• He is a Spaniard and a colonizer.

Occupation: Spanish lawyer, judge,
and colonial official during the 15th-
16th century.

• He served as the Lieutenant

Governor of the Philippines from
1594 to 1604.
⚬ He served for 43 years and
became a president of the
Audiencia for 20 years.
• Historical Anthropologist
• Wrote the first lay formal history
of the Philippines conquest by
Spain.
• Author of Sucesos De Las Islas
Filipinas

• 1625 - Morga was investigated

for corruption and arrested.
— Is a Spanish word that
means events or
happenings.
 LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

⚬ means " The Philippines Island " in

English.
SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS
• First book ever to tackle in Philippine
history.

⚬ This book describe the scenarios in

the philippines from 1493 and 1603
under the spaniards.
• One of the important works of the
Philippines about the colonization of
Spain, published by Antonio De Morga
in Mexico 1609.
 SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS
• Explain the political, social, and
economical aspects of a colonizer and a
colonized country.
• The book is based on the experience
and observation of Antonio De Morga
• It was the first historical work written
by a colonizer.
• The book was published in two
volumes, both in 1609 published by
Casa de Geronymo Balli in Mexico
SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS
• Rizal found the book back in London in
the British Museum’s reading room.
• Rizal also hand-copied the whole 351
pages of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas and annotated every chapter of
it.
• Annotated by Jose Rizal with a
prologue of Ferdinand Blumentritt.

• In 1609 April, Viceroy Luis de

Velasco authorized the publication
The Book consist of 8 chapters:
 The Book consist of 8 chapters:
1. Of the first discoveries of the Eastern islands.
2. Of the government of Dr. Francisco de Sande.
3. Of the government of don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peiialosa.
4. Of the government of Dr. Santiago de Vera.
5. Of the government of Gomes Perez Dasrnariiias.
6. Of the government of don Francisco Tello.
7. Of the government of don Pedro de Acuiia.
8. An account of the Philippine Islands.
What's the Purpose of Antonio de Morga
when he wrote the book?

Morga (1609) wrote that the purpose for

writing Sucesos was so he could
chronicle “the deeds achieved by our
Spaniards, the discovery, conquest, and
conversion of the Filipinas Islands – as
well as various fortunes that they have
from time to time in the great kingdoms
and among the pagan peoples
surrounding the islands. ”
• As a child José Rizal heard from his uncle, José Alberto,
about an ancient history of the Philippines written by a
Spaniard named Antonio de Morga.

• The knowledge of this book came from the English

Governor of Hong Kong, Sir John Browning, who had
once paid his uncle a visit. While in London, Rizal
immediately acquainted himself with the British Museum
where he found one of the few remaining copies of that
work.
• At his own expense, he had
the work republished with
annotations that showed the
Philippines was an advanced
civilization prior to the Spanish
conquest. Austin Craig, an early
biographer of Rizal, translated
into English some of the more
important of these annotations.
What leads Jose Rizal to Sucesos De Las
Islas Filipinas?
• Rizal was an earnest seeker of truth and this marked him as a
historian.
• He had a burning desire to know exactly the conditions of the
Philippines when the Spaniards came ashore to the islands.
• His theory was that the country was economically self-
sufficient and prosperous. Entertained the idea that it had a
lively and vigorous community.
• He believed the conquest of the Spaniards contributed in part
to the decline of the Philippine's rich tradition and culture.
What leads Jose Rizal to Sucesos De Las
Islas Filipinas?
• He then decided to undertake the annotation of Antonio
de Morga's Sucesos De Las Islas Filipinas.
• His personal friendship with 'Ferdinand 'Blumentritt
provided the inspiration for doing a new edition of
Morga's Sucesos.
• Devoting four months research and writing and almost a
year to get his manuscript published in Paris in January
1890.
SUCESOS DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS

1. Morga was a layman and not a

religious chronicler
2. Rizal felt that Morga to be more
“objective” than other religious writers
3. Morga was more sympathetic to indios;
4. Morga was not only an eyewitness but a
major actor in the events of his narration.
 • Rizal's first consideration is
that Morga's book was rare,
and was originally published
Rizal chose in Mexico in 1609.
Morga's work
for several • Rizal’s second consideration is
considerations: that It was the only civil, as
opposed to religious or
ecclesiastical, history of the
Philippines written during the
colonial period.
 • The third consideration for
the choice of Morga was
Rizal chose Rizal's opinion that this
Morga's work secular account was more
for several objective, more trustworthy,
considerations: than those written by the
religious missionaries which
were liberally sprinkled with
tales of miracles and
apparitions.
 • The fourth consideration in Rizal's
choice of the Morga was that it
appeared more sympathetic, at least
Rizal chose in parts, to the indios, in contrast to the
friar accounts, many of which were
Morga's work biased or downright racist in tone and
for several interpretation
considerations:
• The fifth and last consideration
was that Morga was an eyewitness,
and therefore a primary source, on the
Philippines and its people at the point
of first contact with Spain.
“ The Morga is an excellent book; it can be said that Morga is
a modern learned explorer (modern sabio explorador). He
has nothing of the superficially and exaggeration so typical of
present-day Spaniards. He writes very simply, but in reading
him there is much between the lines because he was
governor-general in the Philippines and after, head (Alcalde)
of the inquisition. (Epistolario 1938, 5:308). “
2 categories in Rizal’s annotation:

• “ The straight- • the annotations

forward historical which, though
annotations” where historically based,
Rizal amplifies or reflect his strong
corrects the original. anticlerical bias.
 VS

Antonio de Morga Jose Rizal

• The Oriental Islands: Philippines
• Topography and Seasons of the Oriental Island
• The Oriental People
• Abundances of Natural Resources
• Variation of Languages and Dialects among the
Oriental People
• Customs and Other Practices of the Oriental People
The Oriental Islands:
Philippines
 The Oriental Islands: Philippines
Antonio Rizal

• The Philippines was regarded as • The Island Tendaya, as annotated

Oriental Islands by Morga, wherein by Rizal, is difficult to determine
these 'islands' are described to be since the island might relate to either
vast and noteworthy. the chief Tandaya or rather the
southeastern region of Samar known
• One of the known Islands is as Ibabao or Zibabao.
Tandaya.
• As described by Morga, the Oriental
Islands may be located from west to
east.
The Island
Topography and Seasons of the
Oriental Islands
 Topography and Seasons of the
Oriental Islands
Antonio Rizal

• According to Morga, the • Rizal criticized Morga in his

temperature on these islands annotation for thinking rainy
varies depending on the location seasons to be winter and the rest
and province. of the year to be summer.

• Heavy rains, whirlwinds, and

storms can be expected from June
through September.
 Topography and Seasons of the
Oriental Islands
Antonio Rizal

• The sky is bright and the sea is • He also stated that the
calm from October to the end of temperature in Manila drops
May. However, winter and severe more in the months of December,
rains arrive sooner in certain January, and February than in
areas than in others. the months of August and
September.
The Oriental People
 The Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• Luzon - locals of the islands who

are middle-sized and have a
complexion comparable to the • Rizal corrected Morga in his
quince fruit. annotation, stating that men and
women walk out without
outerwear and barefooted.
• Cagayan - natives have the same
color as the others, but they are
more physically capable,
courageous, and warlike.
 The Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• Before the arrival of the Spaniards, • He added that locals everywhere

the people of Luzon wore cangan are cautious and cautious, concealing
fabric without a collar, bahaque with their bodies with tremendous
their waist, and potong above the modesty and shyness.
forehead.
BELIEF ON CROCODILES BELIEF ON CROCODILES
• The native set traps on the borders • It is just like how other nations
of rivers and streams near their have their respect to lions and bears,
settlements to secure them from putting their symbols in their shields
which they fear and venerate. and giving them vulnerable epithels.
The Oriental People

" The people

of
luzon "
 The Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• "Bathing their body on the rivers • Rizal said that we have hygienic
or streams regardless of their age. customs which is the proper way
of taking a bath.
 The Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• Morga distinguished between • Rizal argued that the barangay

Rajah Soliman (Rahang Mura or system, led by the rajas or datus,
"young king") and Rajah was a functional and effective
Matanda (Rahang Matanda or governance structure tailored to
"old king"), who were rulers in the needs of the local population.
Manila at the time of Spanish
conquest.
 The Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• He acknowledged the political • He pointed out that Rajah

power and influence of these Soliman and Rajah Matanda
leaders but implied that their were not “disorganized” but were
systems were disorganized and pragmatic leaders who worked to
vulnerable, which made Spanish protect their communities from
conquest possible. external threats.
Abundances of Natural
Resources
 Abundances of Natural Resources
Antonio Rizal

• Cotton is raised through the • They also have cotton and not
island which they sell and trade as just rice.
threads.
• Rizal agreed, it is very interesting
• The natives of the islands sell the history shaped and valued with the price
artifacts to the Japanese. of one hundred offered for one of them.
• Natives are always mining for gold • Noticing that their wealth sparked
but when the Spaniards came, the the greed of Encomenderos and
mining become lesser and they just soldiers, the Indios left the mines to
treasured what gold jewelry they have avoid more mistreatment, according
passing it through generations. to priest historians.
Variation of Languages and
Dialects among the Oriental
People
 Variation of Languages and
Dialects among Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• Claimed the lack of formal • Highlighted the oral

education among Filipinos traditions of Filipinos, such as
and noted they had no Hudhud and Biag ni Lam-
written language ang.

• Portrayed the pre-colonial • Pointed out the use of

Filipinos as uneducated and baybayin (a pre-colonial
uncivilized. writing system), which the
Spaniards suppressed.
 The Oriental People
Hudhud Baybayin
 Variation of Languages and Dialects
among the Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• The language spoken in Luzon • Writing is highly established

and its neighboring islands differs throughout the islands, and
significantly from that spoken in writing was done on bamboo or
the Visayas paper. The horizontal orientation
was adopted once the spaniards
arrived.
Customs and Other Practices of
the Oriental People
 Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• The custom of marriage is • The practice of dowry was also

prominent in Morga's prevalent at the time.
observations. Marriages between
the principals and their fellow
principals or nobles are common
among the natives.
Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal
• The observation was supported by Rizal:
"This custom continued the union between
the parents and the children, a wiser practice
that which is followed in many parts of
Europe where cases are found of children
neglecting their parents once they have taken
possession of their patrimony, or of parents
who refuse to consent to the marriage of their
children in order to avoid parting with their
property.”
 Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal
CUSTOM FOR THE DEAD CUSTOM FOR THE DEAD

• They buried their dead in their • Rizal annotated that " we find
it much more natural and pious
own houses keeping their bodies to venerate the remains of our
and bone for a long time in boxes loved ones than those fanatical
and venerating their skulls. martyrs whom we have no
dealings and who probably will
never remember us. "
 Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• They prefer to eat salt fish • It is called "Bagoong" and all

which begin to decompose and those who have eaten it and
smell. tasted it know that it is not or
ought to be not rotten.

• The ordinary food of the • It seems that Morga refers to

natives is very small fish which "Tawilis" or "Dilis" which is
they call "Laulau." eaten by natives in large
quantities.
Bagoong Tawilis or Dilis
 Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• "There are no kings or lords • "Rizal agreed that there

to rule them. were no such kings.

• "Morga was critical of the • "Rizal argued that it was

system of government better that way because
because there are no rulers having a leader that knows
for myriad communities, what the tribe needs and
instead one leader for each what problems they have is
tribe. more effective.
 Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• "Betel, Pickel and ginger are • "Betel is "Kasubha" in

abundant. tagalog

• "Tribes of whom cannot be • "They will always choose

safe because of violence. violence until the
Government enter because
of their inhumans ways as
answer to those who do not
submit to friars.
 Customs and Other Practices of the
Oriental People
Antonio Rizal

• Portrayed Spanish colonization as • Disputed the “civilizing mission”

bringing Christianity, order, and narrative, arguing that Filipinos were
civilization to a barbaric people. already civilized before the Spanish
arrived.
• Criticized Spanish exploitation,
forced labor, and the destruction of
Filipino systems and traditions.
• Highlighted the negative effects of
Spanish-imposed Catholicism on
native culture.
• 1888 (August 18) - After two hundred seventy-nine (279)
years Jose Rizal began to copy by hand the entire first
edition of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
• 1888 (December 11) - Rizal went to Madrid and Barcelona to
search the historical materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale
(National Library).
• 1889 (By the end of September) - He brought the manuscript
to Paris for printing and sent a letter to Ferdinand
Blumentritt requesting him to write an introduction
• 1890 - Rizal's annotated version of * Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas * was published.
1. To awaken the consciousness of the Filipinos of
their glorious ways of the past.
2. To correct what has been distorted about the
Philippines due to Spanish conquest.
3. To proved that Filipinos are civilized even before
the coming of the Spaniards.
 The purpose of the new edition of
Morga’s sucesos:

“ If the book (Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas succeeds to awaken

your consciousness of our past, already effaced from your
memory, and to rectify what has been falsified and slandered, then
I have not to work in vain, and with this as a basis, however small
it may be, we shall be able to study the future. “ -Dr. Jose Rizal
(Europe, 1889)
• He wrote it in Spanish even though German is his
native language.
• Encouraged Rizal to write about the Philippines' pre-
colonial History.
• He praised Rizal's works as "Scholarly and well-
thought out".
• Noted that the book is so rare that very few libraries
has it and guarded it like a treasure
• Blumentritt noticed that Rizal has committed
mistakes made by modern historians who judged
events in the past.
• He also said the Rizal shouldn’t condemn
Catholicism even though they didn’t do any effort
to suppress calls for reform.
Ferdinand Blumentritt also wrote a preface
emphasizing some salient points:
1. The Spaniards have to correct their conception
of Filipinos as “children of limited intelligence”
2. That there are 3 kinds of Spanish delusion about
the Philippines:
a. Filipinos as an inferior race
b. Filipinos were not ready for parliamentary
representation and other reforms
c. Denial of equal rights can be compensated by strict
dispensation of justice.
 Two defects of Rizal’s scholarship which
have been condemned by later historians:

An A strong
ahistorical anticlerical
use of bias
hindsight
Challenges:
1. “Minor writings”
2. Copies of books were banned in the Philippines in
the 19th century and are confiscated by Spanish
customs in Manila and other ports.
3. Rare and out of print
4. Didn’t have a second printing and few copies in
circulation were left hidden and unread.
November 19, 1889

⚬ Rizal thanked Ferdinand Blumentritt for writing the

introduction to his annotated version of Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas.
⚬ He praised the introduction but strongly disagreed with the
inclusion of the name "Quiopquiap" (a pseudonym for Pablo
Feced, a writer of anti-Indio articles).

⚬ Rizal emphasized that Filipinos did not seek brotherhood or

compassion from Spaniards but demanded justice and
respect.
⚬ He asserted: “ We do not want compassion, but justice.
Fraternity like alms from the proud Spaniard we do not seek.
November 19, 1889

⚬ Rizal thanked Ferdinand Blumentritt for writing the

introduction to his annotated version of Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas.
⚬ He praised the introduction but strongly disagreed with the
inclusion of the name "Quiopquiap" (a pseudonym for Pablo
Feced, a writer of anti-Indio articles).
⚬ Rizal explained that while Quiopquiap might be respected in
Spanish circles in Manila, he refused to acknowledge him in
his work, as this could misrepresent his purpose.

⚬ Rizal stated: “ I do not write for the Spaniards in Manila, I

write for my countrymen, and we all detest Quiopquiap. ”
November 22, 1889

⚬ Rizal returned the draft with corrections and sought

Blumentritt’s final approval.
⚬ He removed Quiopquiap’s name and reframed sections to
reject the idea of forced fraternity between Filipinos (Indios)
and Spaniards.
⚬ Rizal emphasized that Filipinos did not seek brotherhood or
compassion from Spaniards but demanded justice and
respect.
⚬ He asserted: “ We do not want compassion, but justice.
Fraternity like alms from the proud Spaniard we do not seek.
”
3 Main Propositions in Rizal's New Edition
of Morga's Sucesos
• The people of the Philippines had a culture on
their own, before the coming of the Spaniards
• Filipinos were decimated, demoralized,
exploited and ruined by the Spanish
colonization
• The present state of the Philippines was not
necessarily superior to its past.
 Criticism on Rizal’s Annotation
The first criticism of RIzal’s historical work was not from the
Spaniards but by Ferdinand Blumentritt

1. Rizal censure the events of

past centuries according to the
concepts that correspond to
contemporary ideas.

2. Against Catholicism.
" My great esteem for your notes does not impede me from confessing
that, more than once, I have observed that you participate in the error
of many modern historians who censure the events of past centuries
according to the concepts that correspond to contemporary ideas.
This should not be so. The historian should not impute to the men of
the sixteenth century the broad horizon of ideas that moves the
nineteenth century. The second point with which I do not agree is
against Catholicism. I believe that you cannot find the origin of
numerous events regrettable for Spain and for the good name of the
European race in religion but in the hard behavior and abuses of many
priests"
 To the Filipinos:

In Noli Me Tangere ("The Social Cancer") I started to sketch

the present state of our native land. But the effect which my
effort produced made me realize that, before attempting to
unroll before your eyes the other pictures which were to
follow, it was necessary first to post you on the past. So only
can you fairly judge the present and estimate how much
progress has been made during the three centuries (of
Spanish rule).
 “..little by little, they (Filipinos) lost their
old traditions, the mementos of their past;
they gave up their writing, their songs,
their poems, their laws, in order to learn
other
doctrines which they did not understand,
another morality, another aesthetics,
different from those inspired by their
climate and their manner of thinking. They
declined,
degrading themselves in their own eyes.
They become ashamed of what was their
own; they began to admire and praise
whatever was foreign and
incomprehensible; their spirit was
damaged and it surrendered."
Importance of Rizal’s Annotations to the
present generation:
• To awaken the consciousness of Filipinos to the Philippine
History.
• To prove that Filipinos already had their own culture prior to
colonization and that Filipinos were NOT inferior to other
races, especially to white men.
• To shatter the myth of the so-called “Indolence of the
Filipinos”
• To reduce the future generation’s denial of their native tongue
especially in these kinds of times.
• To study Tagalog and comprehensively understand its roots.
• To embrace the “Indio” with all its negative connotation,
turning it into someone with dignity and nobility.
“ To foretell the destiny of a nation,
it is necessary to open the books
that tell of her past” - Rizal
 CONCLUSION

• Rizal's annotations of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas

may be considered an attempt to write Philippine
History from the point of view of a Filipino.

• With the publication of this work, Rizal provided a

linear view of history with Noli Me Tangere showing a
view of the present. El Filibusterismo and "The
Philippines a Century Hence illustrating a view of the
future, and the annotations clarifying a view of the past.
 CONCLUSION
• He intended to show and remind the Filipinos of their
authentic identity. Although it never attained the popularity
of both Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, the book
sparked corisciousness and did call forth attention.
• Rizal's annotations are secondary, and scholars today place a
greater emphasis on Morga, the primary source, than on
Rizal's notes.
• In addition, Rizal's annotations should also be understood
within the context of propaganda work that Filipinos in Spain
were engaged in. The annotations explored the possibilities of
creating Filipino identity anchored clearly on a pre-Spanish
past.