Name: Bano, Chariel P.

Degree Program and Year Level: BSA - 1

Lesson 2 Assignment

Internal and External Criticism

Instructions: Write your answers strictly in an essay form, in no less than 150 words for each item.
Observe academic integrity when writing.

1. Watch Xiao Chua's episode of Xiao Time featuring the poem Sa Aking Mga Kabata
through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87fZdVNdWOE. Evaluate whether
or not Rizal could have written the poem. Explain your answer.

When we were young, we were taught that the famous nationalistic poem about loving
one’s own language, "Sa Aking Mga Kabata" (To My Fellow Youth), was written by our national
hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, when he was 8 years old. However, on Xiao Chua's episode of Xiao Time
featuring the poem Sa Aking Mga Kabata, there are questions about the authorship of the poem.
Upon critically assessing the video, Rizal could not have written the poem.

In support of the arguments positing Rizal's authorship, the speaker presented objective,
trustworthy and dependable sources. In Rizal's letter to his brother Paciano when he was 25 years
old, he expressed that he had difficulties using the Tagalog language while translating the
German play, Friedrich Schiller’s William Tell. He could not find an appropriate Tagalog word
for Freheit (liberty). He only then encountered "kalayahan" in Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s tagalog
translation of Amor Patrio. However, in the poem, the Tagalog word "kalayaan" was used twice.
This then sparks a question: "How could Rizal write the poem when he was 8 years old when he
only encountered the word when he was already 25?"

The speaker provided evidence for this claim by citing numerous well-known historians
who are experts in the study of Rizal's life. Through her master's thesis, "TIMAWA: Kahulugan,
Kasaysayan, at Kabuluhan sa Lipunang Pilipino," Dr. Nancy Kimuell Gabriel was the first to
refute Rizal's claim to authorship. He was supported by Dr. Nilo S. Ocampo, historian Ambeth
Ocampo, and writer Virgilio S. Almario through their published books.

There are numerous questions about who wrote the poem, and the speaker was able to
raise these questions by offering credible facts that blatantly refuted those presumptions.
 2. Watch and listen to Yoyoy Villame's song "Magellan" through this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bQz-1KsAhw. Identify three lines in the song which
you find to be historically inaccurate based on Pigafetta's account. Explain your answer.

In 1972, Roman "Yoyoy" Villame, a Boholano singer and songwriter, published a song
titled "Magellan" that tells the story of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan's journey
through the Philippines. Because of the song's portrayal of our history, it became well-known.
However, the song lyrics contain factual inaccuracies. Based on Pigafetta’s account, here are
three lines of the song that you will find historically inaccurate.

On March sixteen, fifteen hundred twenty-one

When Philippines was discovered by Magellan
They were sailing day and night, across the big ocean
Until they saw a small Limasawa island

It wasn’t the Limasawa Island that the Magellan and his crewmen first saw when they
discovered the Philippines. On March 16, 1521, Magellan's expedition sighted a "high land"
named "Zamal'' (Samar) three hundred leagues distant from Ladrones Island. “Saturday, the 16th
of March, 1521, we arrived at daybreak in sight of a high island, three hundred leagues distant
from the before-mentioned Thieves' island. This isle is named Zamal.” And then they first landed
at an uninhabited island called Humunu Island in which they named it “Watering Place of good
signs” because they found there two springs of very fresh water and first signs of gold.

Magellan landed in Limasawa at noon

The people met him very welcome on the shore
They did not understand the speaking they have done
Because Kastila gid at Waray-Waray man

Magellan did not land on Limasawa Island at noon. Based on Pigafetta’s account,
“Thursday, the 28th of March, having seen the night before fire upon an island, in the morning
we came to anchor at this island.” They landed in Limasawa in the morning, not at noon. In
addition, Magellan's slave Enrique served as an interpreter between him and the inhabitants of
Limasawa Island. Despite the linguistic barrier of having to speak different languages, they still
did understand each other.

Overall, it is great that we create art about something significant in our country because it
shows patriotism; however, we must also keep in mind to create something out of facts and avoid
historical distortions when doing so. Because to preserve our country is to preserve our history.