ZAMBOANGA CITY STATE POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT of ARTS and SCIENCES

Chapter 22: Exile in Dapitan (1892-1896)
Date: October 3, 2014
Instructor: Mr. Rodaine L. Awalie
Prepared by: Jenny Rose A. Carpio

RIZAL and JOSEPHINE BRACKEN. Rizal was often sad. He missed his family and relatives, his good
friends in foreign lands, the exhilarating life in the cities of Europe, and his happy day in Calamba. In
Gods own town, this somebody came to Dapitan like a sunbeam to dispel his melancholy mood. She
was Josephine Bracken an Irish girl of sweet eighteen. She was born in Hong Kong on Oct. 3, 1876 of
Irish parents. Rizal and Josephine fell in love with each other at first sight. After a whirlwind romance of
month, they agreed to marry. But Father Obach, the priest of Dapitan refused to marry without the
permission of the Bishop of Cebu. When Mr. Taufer heard of their projected marriage, he flared up in
violent rage, unable to endure the thought of losing Josephine he tried to commit suicide. To avoid a
tragedy Josephine went with Taufer to manila by the first available steamer. Mr. Taufer returned alone
to Hong Kong while Josephine stayed with Rizals family in manila. Later she returned in dapitan and
they live happily in Dapitan. In the early part if 1896 Rizal was extremely happy because Josephine
expecting a baby. Unfortunately he played a prank on her, frightening her so that she prematurely gave
birth to an eight-month baby boy, who lived only for three hours. This lost son of Rizal was named
Francisco in honor of Don Francisco and was buried in Dapitan.
RIZAL and the KATIPUNAN. Andres Bonifacio, the great plebeian, was sowing the seeds of an
armed uprising, the secret of revolutionary society called Katipunan, which he founded on july 7, 1892.
Bitukang Manok means a secret meeting of the katipunan. Dr. Pio Valenzuela was named emissary to
Dapitan, in order to inform Rizal the plan of the katipunan to launch a revolution for freedoms sake. On
june 15, Dr. Valenzuela left manila, to camouflage his real mission, he brought with him a blind man
named Raymundo Mata. Dr. Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan in the evening of june 21, 1896. Rizal
welcomed him. After supper, the two had a heart-to-heart talk, Valenzuela told him the katipunan plan
and the necessity of his support. Rizal objected to Bonifacios audacious project, he was of the sincere
belief that it was premature for two reasons: (1) the people are not ready for a revolution (2) arms and
funds must first be collected before raising the cry of revolution.
VOLUNTEERS as MILITARY DOCTOR in CUBA. It was Bluementritt who told Rizal to deplorate
health situation in war-ridden Cuba. Rizal wrote a to Governor General Ramon Blanco, months passed
and he received no reply from malacanang. When he least expected it, a letter from Governor Blanco
arrived in Dapitan, notifying him of the acceptance of his acceptance of his letter.

The song of the Traveler

Great was Rizals joy in receiving the gladsome news from malacanang. At last he was free once more
he was going to travel, to Europe and then to Cuba. It was with this joyous thought of resuming his
travels to that he wrote his heart-warming poem El Canto del Viajero means the song of the traveler.
ADIOS, DAPITAN
On july 31, 1896, Rizals four-year exile in Dapitan came to an end. At midnight of that date he
embarked on board the steamer Espana. He was accompanied by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica, his three
nephews, and six pupils, young and old were at the shore to bid him goodbye. As a farewell music the
town brass band strangely played the dolorous Funeral March or chopin. As the steamer pushed out into
the sea, Rizal gazed for the last time on Dapitan with his hands waving in farewell salute to its kind and
hospitable folks and with a crying heart filed with tears of nostalgic memories.