Debunking “ Sa Aking Mga
Kabata” and “The Code of
Kalantiaw” through Historical
criticism
Sa Aking mga Kabata
Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig Kaya ang marapat pagyamanin kusa
Sa langit salitang kaloob ng langit Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala
Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapi Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin,
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid Sa Ingles, Kastila, at salitang anghel,
Pagka’t ang salita’y isang kahatulan Sapagkat ang Poong maalam tumingin
Sa bayan, sa nayo't mga kaharian Ang siyang naggagawad, nagbibigay sa atin.
Ang salita nati’y tulad din sa iba
At ang isang tao’y katulad, kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan. Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita Na kaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa
Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
Sa Aking mga Kabata
According to Dr. Nancy Kimuell Gabriel on her tesis
masterado “Timawa: Kahulugan, Kasaysayan at
Kabuluhan sa Lipunang Pilipino,” on UP Diliman,
2001the poem shows falseness. Historian Ambeth
Ocampo ,National artist of the Philippines and writer
Virgilio S. Almario and others have debunked Rizal's
traditional authorship of the poem based on the
following.
Sa Aking mga Kabata
• a.) AUTHORSHIP
• No manuscript for Sa Aking Mga Kabatà written in
Rizal's handwriting exists. The poem supposedly wrote
in 1869 where he was only 8 years old then.
• b.)DATE AND PLACE OF PUBLICATION
• The poem was first published in 1906, a decade after his
death, in a book authored by the poet Hermenigildo
Cruz.
Sa Aking mga Kabata
• c. TEXTUAL ERRORS
• In Rizal’s childhood they spelled words with a “c” rather than “k.”
Further, the word “kalayaan” (freedom) is used twice.(No
manuscript EXIST)
• d.)MEANINGS OF WORDS USED
• Kalayaan was not a common word in 1869 and there is irrefutable
evidence that Jose Rizal himself did not learn the word until he was
25 years old. Rizal first encountered the word atleast by 1872 the
years after the execution of GOMBURZA
Code of Kalantiaw
William Henry Scott, examined
the pre-Hispanic history of the
Philippines. Scott raised issues on
the existence of the Code of
Kalantiaw, specifically on:
Code of Kalantiaw
• LACK OF HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
No written/ pictorial documents from that time in Philippine history
No documents from other countries that mentions Kalantiaw
• LACK OF EVIDENCE FOR A KALANTIAW LEGEND
No recorded Filipino legend about Kalantiaw other than the doubtful Pavon
manuscripts before the 20th century
Historian Diego Alba looked for Kalantiaw in local folklore but found none
• DOUBTFUL PAVON MANUSCRIPTS
Two inconsistent versions on how Jose Marco obtained the manuscripts ( looters
and cook stories)
Mistakes in the Pavon manuscripts
Issues and Problems in
Philippine Historiography
CHAPTER II
Learning Objectives
1. Assess the issues and problems in Philippine Historiography
2. Comprehend the distinction between history as a western
concept and kasaysayan as a Filipino concept
3. Compare the bipartite vis-a vis the tripartite view of Philippine
History
4. Evaluate sources by being able to identify the point of view used
by the author through the different “Pananaw Pangkasaysayan”
5. Appreciate the need of having a Filipino framework and
methodology of writing and teaching history through the
“Pantayong Pananaw”
Issues and Problems in
Philippine Historiography
Issues and Problems in Philippine Historiography
Historiography refers to the study
of history itself.
Philippine Historiography has
underwent several changes since the
pre-colonial period until present.
Issues and Problems in Philippine Historiography
At a larger part, Philippine history was
originally written and documented by
foreign historians, in fact even at
present most primary chronicles are
mostly written in Spanish and English.
This being the case, modern day Filipino historian have put a lot of question
on the manner by which Philippine history was written.
1. Correcting the errors of published
historical work
2. Filling the gaps in Philippine History
3. Reinterpretation of historical facts & events
4. Rewriting History in the Filipino point of
view
Historical Revisionism
Historical Revisionism is a
practice in writing history in which
historians reinterpret views of
causes and effects, decisions,
explanations and evidences.
History as a western concept and
Kasaysayan as a Filipino concept
History as a western concept
History is a western concept introduced by
our colonizers, particularly by the Spaniards.
Historia became known as the account of
the pat of a group of people through written
documents and historical evidence.
History as a western concept
With that methodology, radical Filipino historians posed several
questions as the mantra of “no document, no history” if its suits
the Philippine context.
Another point posed by Filipino historians as to the exclusivity of
the methodology of “history” is that “History accounts only
recorded past.. that means it is only for those who can write,
those who are educated.
Lastly, from the very word “history”, Filipino historians noticed it
being gender-biased towards male; how the term is heavily
influenced by patriarchy
Kasaysayan as a Filipino concept
The Pantayong Pananaw
definition of kasaysayan is
“salaysay na nagsalaysay ng mga
bagay na may saysay para sa
sinasalysayang grupo o salinlahi”.
Kasaysayan as a Filipino concept
Kasaysayan, unlike history, is not only bound
by written documents but as well as oral traditions
like communal songs, legends, epics and the like as
mentioned earlier were the prevalent modes on
how the ancient Filipinos and most of the
indigenous people who still exist up this day use as
a mode of narrating their past and story.
Kasaysayan as a Filipino concept
As to the inclusivity of the concept of
kasaysayan, it advocates the philosophy of
“People’s History” or “History from Below”.
According to E.P Thompson , “people's history” or
“history from below” is a type of historical
narrative which attempts to account for historical
events from the perspective of common people
rather than leaders.
Bipartite View vis-à-vis Tripartite
View of Philippine History
Bipartite View of Philippine History
The Bipartite View of Philippine History
made us think that we owe our civilization to
the Spaniards.
In such view, Philippine History can be only
viewed into two epochs; (1) Pre- Hispanic
Period and (2) Hispanic Period
“dilim-liwanag”
Tripartite View of Philippine History
The educated Filipinos during the
Spanish era, known as the
ilustrados cannot accept the
bipartite view of Philippine history
presented by the Spaniards.
Tripartite View of Philippine History
Tripartite View of Philippine History
The Katipuneros adopted this historical framework and
used “liwanag-dilim-liwanag” as a metaphor.
The pre-colonial being “liwanag” since it was a great of
civilization and identity for the Filipinos.
The colonial period being “dilim” since it was an epoch of
abuse of power and lost of Filipino identity.
Lastly, the post-colonial period being “liwanag” again since
the end of colonial regime is a mark of the restoration of
Filipino liberty.
Zeus Salazar’s Pantayong Pananaw
and other Pananaw Pangkasaysayan
Zeus Salazar’s Pantayong Pananaw
and other Pananaw Pangkasaysayan
“Ang buod ng pantayong pananaw ay nasa panloob na
pagkakaugnay-ugnay at paguugnay ng mga katangian,
halagahin, kaalaman, karunungan, hangarin, kaugalian, pag-
aasal at karanasan ng isang kabuuang pangkalinangan --
kabuuang nababalot sa, at ipinapahayag sa pamamagitan ng
isang wika; ibig sabihin, sa loob ng isang nagsasariling
talastasan/diskursong pangkalinangan o pangkabihasnan.
Isang reyalidad ito sa loob ng alin mang grupong
etnolingguwistikong may kabuuan at kakanyahan, sa atin at
sa ibang dako man ng mundo.”
Zeus Salazar’s Pantayong Pananaw
and other Pananaw Pangkasaysayan
Pangkaming Pananaw
Historical perspective in which Philippine
history is written by Filipinos in foreign
language and intended for to be read by
foreigners to understand our history in our
point of view.
Zeus Salazar’s Pantayong Pananaw
and other Pananaw Pangkasaysayan
Pangkayong Pananaw
Historical perspective in which Philippine
history is written by foreigner in a foreign
language as well but it is meant to be
addressed or directed to Filipinos as
audience.
Zeus Salazar’s Pantayong Pananaw
and other Pananaw Pangkasaysayan
Pansilang Pananaw
Historical perspective in which
Philippine history is written by
foreigners in a foreign language as well
and is intended to be read and
understood by their fellow foreigners
Zeus Salazar’s Pantayong Pananaw
and other Pananaw Pangkasaysayan
Pananaw at Talastasan Nagsasalita, Kinakausap, Wika ng Talsatasan Kasaysayan,
Mananalaysay, Sinasalaysayan, Kalinangan, Paksang
Nagsasalaysay, Katalastasan Pinag-uusapan
Nakikipagtalastasan
Pantayo Etnolinguistikong Etnolinguistikong Etnolinguistikong Etnolinguistikong
(Etnolinguistikong Grupo Grupo Grupo Grupo
Grupo)
Pansila (Banyaga) Banyaga Banyaga Banyaga Pilipino
Pangkayo (Banyaga) Banyaga Pilipino Banyaga o Pilipino Pilipino
Pangkami (Banyaga) Banyaga Pilipino Banyaga o Pilipino Banyaga
Pantayo (Pilipino) Pilipino Pilipino Pilipino Pilipino
Pangkami (Pilipino) Pilipino Banyaga Banyaga o Pilipino Pilipino
Pansila (Pilipino) Pilipino Pilipino Pilipino Banyaga
Pangkayo (Pilipino) Pilipino Banyaga Banyaga o Pilipino Banyaga
