ARTICLES

Rizal and Our National Identity
by: egadong

To claim Jose Rizal as the foremost national hero of the Philippines may be open for debate as some will contend that it was actually the Americans who had decided to make him the rallying symbol for all Filipinos instead of Andres Bonifacio because the former rejected any kind of resistance or aggression as a means of effecting change in contrast to the Great Plebeian. The Americans therefore thought it best to give preference to Rizal.

If it were my personal choice, I would still pick Rizal to be our foremost national hero because he alone among the other equally deserving national heroes who fought and died for Filipinas was able to articulate in clear thoughts through his writings the deepest longings and true aspirations of the Filipino people. His works are a great source of inspiration to every generation of Filipinos because he was the first among the many to follow in his footsteps in expressing profoundly the concept of being one nation, a distinct group of people that originated from the Malay race and therefore whose birthright and freedom should be preserved at all cost.

Rizal was the first to recognize our multi-faceted origins. He understood early on and defined for us who we really are as a people. He was a trailblazer who explored for us our history and tracing our origin of an enlightened culture that existed before Spain conquered our islands. For centuries, the Spaniards made the Indios to forget their true identity, who they really are and what their true worth was. Rizal opened up their eyes through his writings and made them believe that indeed, in their blood flowed a proud race, a glorious and triumphant race that once lived in relative harmony and peace, having their own culture and traditions, government, system of writing, etc.

In addition, we also learned that our blood was infused with a rich Spanish legacy that spanned three centuries. Ours was the distinction of being the only country in South East Asia with influences from many European countries along with Chinese, Malayo-Polynesian and most significantly, American culture when we came under US rule for almost fifty years. All of these are part of who we are today, a unique blending of Eastern and Western cultures.

Back then, the concept of a nation didn't exist because our ancestors lived in tribes and colonies ruled by a datu or chieftain. National consciousness did not exist until Rizal came along and began to fight for the rights of the natives. Because of Rizal, the Tagalogs, Kapampangans, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Warays, and other regional tribes banded together for one cause -- FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE.

In order to know Rizal fully, one has to read his works. Before we can judge him for what he really contributed to our country or to just dismiss him as no longer relevant in our present day and age, we need to take some time to study his excellent writings that transcend time and generations. By no means are his works infallible or should they be placed in a pedestal beside the Bible for they were only written by a man -- albeit a Renaissance man. Their significance today can be studied by scholars who can make applications of his thoughts into practical daily living.

The challenge is for individuals who will study and research Rizal's contribution to the establishment of a Filipino nation and in them find solutions relevant to our present generation. This to me is the essence and relevance of Rizal. He's not a god to be exalted and venerated but rather a beacon of light to guide us in these times of extreme darkness.

Sadly, modern day Filipinos have completely forgotten about the lessons Rizal tried to impart to them. We act as if we're still an assortment of warring tribes. The rich elite and political dynasties are pitted against the masa and marginalized poor. Christians of the north are contending with our Muslim brothers in the south. The communist ideology is still trying to win hearts and minds among the poor in search of social justice who cannot find sustenance in the democratic ideals. The Tagalog language is being lorded over the other indigenous languages of equal importance like Cebuano. Regionalism is still the basis of some Filipinos in identifying themselves which leads credence to the notion that we're indeed still a fragmented nation prematurely born whose growth was abruptly stunted in 1898 because it wasn't completely consummated in the sense that we were subjugated once again by another colonial master whose clutches to this very day we still haven't gotten out of, more so mentally rather than physical.

But our identity has been already defined and remains intact. A nation that has already been born cannot be reborn a second time. But we can rediscover our identity as a nation once again the way Jose Rizal continually reminds all of us today.



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This article is from Peyups.com - The UP Online Community