Rizal

JOSE

PROTASIO

RIZAL

MERCADO

Y

ALONZO

REALONDA

, the seventh child of FranciscoEngracio Rizal Mercado y Alejandro and his wife, Teodora Morales Alonzo Realonda yQuintos, was born in Kalamba, June 19, 1861.He was a typical Filipino, for few persons in this land of mixed blood could boasta greater mixture than his. Practically all the ethnic elements, perhaps even the Negritoin the far past, combined in his blood. All his ancestors, except the doubtful strain of theNegrito, had been immigrants to the Philippines, early Malays, and later Sumatrans,Chinese of prehistoric times and the refugees from the Tartar dominion, and Spaniardsof old Castile and Valencia-representatives of all the various peoples who have blendedto make the strength of the Philippine race.Shortly before Jose's birth his family had built a pretentious new home in thecenter of Kalamba on a lot which Francisco Mercado had inherited from his brother. Thehouse was destroyed before its usefulness had ceased, by the vindictiveness of thosewho hated the man-child that was born there. And later on the gratitude of a free peopleheld the same spot sacred because there began that life consecrated to the Philippinesand finally given for it, after preparing the way for the union of the various disunitedChinese mestizos, Spanish mestizos, and half a hundred dialectically distinguished"Indians" into the united people of the Philippines.Jose was christened in the nearby church when three days old, and as two out-of-town bands happened to be in Kalamba for a local festival, music was a feature of the event. His godfather was Father Pedro Casanas, a Filipino priest of a Kalambafamily, and the priest who christened him was also a Filipino, Father Rufino Collantes.Following is a translation of the record of Rizal's birth and baptism: "I, the undersignedparish priest of the town of Calamba, certify that from the investigation made with proper authority, for replacing the parish books which were burned September...