Annotation of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de Rizal’s Annotation of the Book

las Islas Filipinas

✣ He did not believe the colonizers’
Ignorance is servitude, because as a man claim that they sociologically improved
thinks, so he is; a man who does not think for the islands; instead, Rizal supposed
himself and allows himself to be guided by the that the Spanish colonization
thought of another is like the beast led by a somewhat result in the deterioration
halter. of the Philippine’s rich culture and
tradition.
– Jose Rizal
Dr. Antonio Morga and his “Sucesos” ✣ In 1888-1889, Rizal largely spent his
many months of stay in London at the
✣ Antonio de Morga (1559-1636) was a British Museum, copying and
Spanish historian and lawyer and a annotating this rare book available in
notable colonial official for 43 years in the library.
the Philippines, New Spain, and Peru.
✣ Rizal meticulously annotated every
✣ He stayed in the Philippines, then a chapter of the Sucesos, commenting
colony of Spain, from 1594 to 1604. even on Morga’s typographical errors.

✣ As Deputy Governor in the Philippines, ✣ He provided enlightenment on every

he re-established the Audiencia and statement, which he believed
took over the function of judge misrepresenting the local’s cultural
(“oidor”). practices.
Antonio de Morga (1559-1636): ✣ For instance, Morga describes on page
-Author of Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1609) 248 the culinary of the ancient
Philippine natives by recording: “They
✣ When reassigned to Mexico, he prefer to eat salt fish which begin to
published the book Sucesos de las Islas decompose and smell.” Rizal’s
Filipinas in 1609, considered one of annotative footnote explains: “This is
the most significant works on the early another preoccupation of the
history of the Spanish colonization of Spaniards who, like any other nation in
the Philippines. the matter of food, loathe that to
which they are not accustomed or is
✣ The history is said to cover the years
unknown to them”.
from 1493 to 1603. discussions deal
with the political, social and economic Some Important Annotations
phases of life of both natives and their
✣ Austin Craig (1872-1949), an early
colonizers.
biographer of Rizal, translated into
✣ On the dedication page, Morga writes: English some of the more important of
“…this small book…is a faithful Rizal’s annotations in the Sucesos:
narrative, devoid of any artifice and
⨳ The civilization of the pre-
ornament...regarding the discovery,
Spanish Filipinos in regard to
conquest and conversion of the
the duties of life for that age
Philippine Islands, together with the
was well advanced as the
various events in which they have
Morga history shows in its
taken part…specifically describing their
eighth chapter.
original condition…”
⨳ The discovery, conquest and ⨳ Consequently, in this respect
conversion cost Spanish blood the “pacifiers” introduced no
but still more Filipino blood. It moral improvement. We even
will be seen later on in Morga do not know if in their wars the
that with the Spaniards and on Filipinos used to make slaves of
behalf of Spain there were each other, though that would
always more Filipinos fighting not have been strange, for the
than Spaniards. chroniclers tell of captives
returned to their own people.
⨳ Morga shows that the ancient
The practice of the Southern
Filipinos had army and navy
pirates, almost proves this,
with artillery and other
although in these piratical wars
implements of warfare. Their
the Spaniards were the first
prized krises and kampilans for
aggressors and gave them their
their magnificent temper are
character.
worthy of admiration and some
of them are richly damascend. The Value of Rizal’s Annotation
Their coats of mail and
Suggested Further readings
helmets, of which there are
specimens in various European ✣ Blumentritt, F. (1962). Prologue to
museums, attest their great Jose Rizal, Annotated Copy of Antonio
advancement in this industry. de Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas. Manila: National Centennial
⨳ The image of the Holy Child of
Commision.
Cebu, which many religious
writers believed was brought ✣ Ocampo, A. (1998). “Rizal’s Morga and
to Cebu by the angels, was in views of Philippine History” in
fact given by the worthy Italian Philippine Studies vol. 46 no.2
chronicler of Magellan’s
expedition, the Chevalier ✣ Rizal, J. (1962). Historical events of the
Pigafetta, to the Cebuano Philippines Islands by Dr. Antonio de
queen. Morga, annotated by Jose Rizal,
preceded by a prologue by Dr.
⨳ The southern islands, the Ferdinand Blumetritt. Manila: Jose
Bisayas, were also called “The Rizal National Centennial Commission.
land of the painted People (or
Pintados in Spanish), because Pacto de Sangre
the natives had their bodies Treaty of alliance and friendship by mixing
decorated with tracings made blood taken from an incision in the arms of
with fire, somewhat like two leaders entering into alliance in an
tattooing. alcoholic drink that both leaders drank.
⨳ “The Spaniards,” says Morga,
For the ilustrados, it was an agreement
“were accustomed to hold as between equals.
slaves such natives as they
bought and others that they Legazpi had a blood oath with:
took in the forays in the • Sikatuna (March 16, 1565)
conquest or pacification of the • Sigala (a few days later)
islands.”
However, the Spaniards violated their side of
the contract which led Andres Bonifacio in Juan Luna's El Pacto de Sangre
1896 to start the Revolution through the FLORO QUIBUYEN (1999, 188)
Katipunan. -SEES THE PAINTING AS ENCODING THE BASIC
SUPERIORITY OF SPAIN.
Ancient Blood Oaths -ARGUES THAT THE FOCUS IS ON LEGAZPI,
•PHILIPPINES WHILE SIKATUNA IS RENDERED FACELESS, THE
-DROPS OF BLOOD MIXED WITH ALCOHOLIC ONLY ISLANDER IN THE SCENE DOMINATED
DRINK TO BUILD CEMENT ALLIANCES OF BY SPANISH CONQUISTADORS WHO FILL
PREVENTING BLOODSHED. FOUR FIFTHS OF THE WHOLE CANVAS.
-RECONCILIATION OF QUARREL
-FOR FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE Paul Zafaralla (1986)
-"SANDUGO" MADE BETWEEN 2 DATUS  Notes that Luna’s painting is
BINDING THEIR MEMBERS (SCOTT, 1994) “asymmetrically designed”
-RITUAL FRIENDSHIP OF TAUSUGS TO  “Good faith and the honor system were
CEMENT BROTHERHOOD BY SUPERNATURAL the qualities which Sikatuna brought with
SANCTIONS (THOMAS KIEFER,1968) him to the kasikasi tradition: he is alone in
• Southeast Asian Countries blood oath for the painting. Bad faith and deceit
sibling-hood wherein siblings partake each characterized Legazpi: he is amply
other's blood. protected by armed officers and men”
• Old Irish Sagas - mingle their blood and
become sworn brothers BONIFACIO: THE "FALL" IN THE PLOT OF
• Scotland islanders ratified their league of NATIONALIST HISTORY
friendship by drinking each other's blood. -REYNALDO ILETO-THE STAGES IN THE
- Other regions practiced blood oath: America, STANDARD NATIONALIST
Australia, Africa, Europe, Asia (Hodges,1922) PLOT BEGUN WITH:
• In Africa, Kenyan coastal region, blood oath 1.) GOLDEN AGE, THEN
was their mechanism to form business 2.) FALL (AS IN GARDEN
networks with OF EDEN), THEN
strangers and traders (Herlehy, 1984) 3.) DARK AGE

THE BLOOD OATH OF LEGAZPI AND Golden Age - marked by prosperity, ease, and
SIKATUNA harmony before the coming of the Spaniards.
Sikatuna's reason for the blood compact is the It signified “the condition of wholeness of the
prevention of violence and the ransacking and pre-Spanish past”.
as a result of mistrust because of what has
happened before when there where killings Fall - Sikatuna believed Legazpi’s promises of
between men during a blood ritual. enlightenment and prosperity and agreed
to a compact and, like eating the forbidden
Legazpi's reason on the other hand is trading fruit, this act constituted the Fall.
and to make blood compact with each and
every local chief in these islands. Dark Age
1.) Spanish treachery and
Del Pilar: Assimilation and the Pacto de 2.) Sikatuna falling for the “sweetness of their
Sangre tempting words” began the Dark Age.
• ILUSTRADOS: COUNTRY-COUNTRY OR
PEOPLE-PEOPLE AGREEMENT EVEN IF
PHILIPPINES AT THE TIME WASN'T UNITED AS
ONE.
• DEL PILAR: UNITY OF ASPIRATIONS
BETWEEN NATIONS; SIKATUNA FOR PHIL.
AND LEGAZPI FOR SPAIN.