Jose Rizal and Maria Maikling

• Jose Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan Field, now Luneta Park, on December 30, 1896, which is now commemorated as Jose Rizal Day.
• Rizal was a journalist and propagandist.
• His notable works include Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891).
• At age 8, Rizal wrote "Sa Aking Mga Kabata (To My Fellow Children)."
• At age 18, he won a poetry contest with "Ala Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)" in 1879.
• "Mi Ultimo Adios" (My Last Farewell) was his final literary piece, initially titled "Mi Ultimo Pensamient," consisting of an unsigned, untitled poem of 14 five-line stanzas.

The Legend of Maria Maikling

• Maria Maikling is a fairy or forest nymph in Philippine mythology, believed to guard the forest in the mountain ridges of Makiling, Laguna.
• Characters include Maria Maikling, a beautiful young woman; Capatain Lara, a Spanish soldier; Joselito, a Spanish mestizo; and Juan, a hardworking farmer.
• Rizal's version depicts Maria falling in love with a kind farmer, who is later recruited for war and never returns, leading to Maria's sadness and fury.
• Two social issues presented are forced labor and land grabbing by friars.
• Rizal's version was published in the December 31, 1890 edition of La Solidaridad.
• Rizal used pseudonyms such as P. Jacinto (1879), Laong-Laan (1882), Dimasalang (1883), Madude (1890), Kabisa (1892), and Philippino (1892).

Rizal's Arrest and Exile

• Rizal's family land was grabbed by friars which lead to his family flying to Hong Kong
• Rizal arrived in Manila with his sister Lucia, where "Pobres Frailes" was found in her bag.
• Rizal was arrested because he published books and articles showing disloyalty to Spain, due to the confiscation of the pamphlet "Poor Friars", and because of the dedication of El Filibusterismo to the GomBurZa.
• He was exiled to Dapitan, Zamboanga Peninsula on July 17, 1892, under the watch of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade until July 31, 1896.
• Casa Real was Rizal's residence in Dapitan.

Rizal in Dapitan

• As a physician, Rizal practiced ophthalmology, using local medicine and medicinal plants, and his clinic was called Casa Redonda.
• As an engineer, he constructed a waterworks system.
• As a community worker, Rizal drained marshes, installed a lighting system using coconut oil lamps, and beautified Dapitan with a huge relief map of Mindanao.
• As an inventor/scientist, he created a mud brick-making machine.
• As a teacher, he ran a free school for boys (2PM-4PM) covering various subjects, and his pupils' dormitory and workshop was named Casa Cuadrada.
• As a farmer, Rizal devoted his time to agriculture, growing cacao, coffee, sugarcane, coconuts, and fruit trees on 16-70 hectares of land.
• As a businessman, he bought hemp in Dapitan and shipped it to Manila, and started the Cooperative Association of Dapitan farmers.
• Casa Residencia sheltered Rizal from March 1893 to July 31, 1896.
• Mi Retiro Rock (Mi Retiro) was Rizal's retreat rock.

Other Events in Dapitan

• From September 1, 1892 to April 1893, Rizal and Pastells corresponded, attempting to convince Rizal to retract his errors regarding religion.
• Rizal did not drink or smoke, but engaged in fights, including with Antonio Luna and Wenceslao E. Retana
• Rizal was addicted to the lottery, allotting 3 pesetas every month, and he once won Php 6,200.
• While Rizal was in exile, the La Liga Filipina was taken over by Andres Bonifacio (KKK).
• Rizal volunteered as a military doctor in Cuba.

Josephine Bracken

• Rizal met Josephine Bracken in February 1895.
• Josephine was the adopted daughter of George Taufer, who sought Rizal's help for an eye treatment.
• Rizal called Josephine ‘dulce estranjera’ (sweet foreigner).
• Fr. Obach refused to marry them because of Rizal’s religious beliefs (Masonry).
• After Rizal's death, Josephine married Vicente Abad.
• She died of tuberculosis on March 15, 1902, and was buried in Hong Kong.

Rizal's Shrine

• The Americans held a competition for Rizal's shrine, and the winner was "Al Martir de Bagumbayan" by Carlo Nicoli.
• The Americans instead chose the runner up “Motto Stella” by Richard Kissling.

Retraction Controversy

• On December 29, 1896 (7:00 am), Rizal was visited by his mother and sisters.
• Jesuits tried to convince him to accept conversion, including Frs. Miguel Saderra Mata, Luis Viza, Federico Faura, and Vicente Balaguer.
• Fr. Balaguer said Rizal would go to hell
• Rizal retracted masonry and returned to Catholicism.
• Rizal signed the retraction at 11:30 pm on December 29, 1896, and was wedded to Bracken at 5:00 am on December 30, 1896, before his execution on the same day.
• In 1935, Fr. Manuel Garcia found Rizal's retraction paper.
• Reasons for retraction include Rizal’s love for his family, Pardo de Tavera’s Psychopathic Theory, and Rizal's love for Josephine Bracken.
• Before his death, Rizal gave Bracken his copy of Thomas a Kempis' book, Imitacion de Cristo (The Imitation of Christ).