Jose Rizal: Myths and legends

As we celebrate the death anniversary of National Hero Jose Rizal today, many Filipinos honor him by recalling stories ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. We ourselves are regaled by tales that border on the myths, some grandfather’s tales passed on through the centuries that get accepted as fact. We have compiled eight such myths lovingly put together, perhaps by dutiful Rizalistas for everyone’s perusal.

Legend one has it that Rizal at age eight in 1869 wrote the popular poem titled Sa Aking Mga Kabata that goes “Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isda.” Historians question that legend as the poem was only published 10 years after Rizal’s death. Poets Herminigildo Cruz and Gabriel Beato Francisco have been linked to its authorship but there is no proof of that either. That is why the myth exists to this day.

Legend two says that Rizal was a straight-A student at the Ateneo Municipal High School, as well as in college at the University of Santo Tomas. The truth is that although the National Hero certainly possessed multiple talents, when it came to grades in school, he was just regular.

Legend three states that Rizal is the fake hero and Andres Bonifacio the real one. That rivalry exists until today as witnessed by an upsurge of recent Bonifacio stories in film, ballet performances, theatrical presentations, exhibits, etc. There is even a move today to dethrone Rizal and install Bonifacio as the real national hero. Because they were friends, belonging to the KKK (Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangan Katipunan ng Mga Anak ng Bayan), many still insist on pitting one against the other. 

Legend four tags Rizal as a foreign spy involved in German and French espionage. Rizal’s propensity for studying European culture had resulted in his having stayed in many residences in Europe, which may have brought suspicion. It started apparently with the visit of the chief of police to Rizal’s apartment in Berlin who requested for his passport and started asking questions. The same was supposed to have happened to Rizal in France and other European countries.

Legend five is something the significant Filipino gay community likes to harp on — that Rizal was a closet gay which is why he never sired a child, and that his great love Josephine Bracken’s child was the product of incest. Be that as it may, gay, metro-sexual or bi-sexual, no one in this century cares. It is his accomplishments that matter.

Legend six insists that Rizal was the father of Adolf Hitler. The myth goes that while visiting Austria in May of 1887, Rizal had a one-night stand with an Austrian prostitute. After sometime, Hitler was born.

Legend seven connects Rizal with the British terrorist “Jack the Ripper” starting with the fact that both have the same initials. The truth of the matter is that on May 24, 1888, Rizal was in London when Jack started his murderous rampage. The methods used in the killings pointed to one equipped with medical knowledge. Everyone is familiar with Rizal as a doctor. Add to that the fact that when Rizal left London, the killings of “Jack the Ripper” stopped.

Legend eight, however, is the ultimate myth that takes the cake. It proclaims that after he was executed in Bagumbayan and his remains were being brought to the Paco Cemetery, Rizal rose from the dead as a White Cock that flew away in the direction of Cavite. Why a White Hawk? Why Cavite? What is even more hair-raising is the discovery by archivist Ambeth Ocampo of a document at the National Archives revealing such an incident occurring on March 29, 1897.

As proven by these sample myths and legends, most of them are based abroad, proving that Rizal was indeed an admirer of the European philosophies, arts and crafts and he tried to stay long periods to get to know their people and ways of life. 

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