Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan

The Mother Nation

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The concept of "Son of the Nation" is related to the concept of "Mother Nation." Bonifacio and the Katipunan created the concept of "Mother Nation" to give distinction to the Katagalugan from Spain. "Mother Nation" is the personification of Katagalugan which will give birth from her womb the "sons of the nation." "Sons of the nation" are the true son of "Mother Nation" and is the true mother of the "sons of the nation."

Bonifacio and the Katipunan use the relation of mother and son to deepen the concept of "son of the nation." Through this, the "sons of the nation" will be given rights to save the "mother nation" and take care of another. The image and idea of the true mother is clear to them, a mother that will not do anything to harm her sons. In their declaration, they emphasized Spain as "claiming mother" reason that Philippines must separate from Spain (AGMM 1892-1897, Caja 5677, leg.1.37.1).

From their belief, true mother will not do anything to harm their children. This is opposite on what Spain is doing treason, abuse, pertinacity of heart. In this point, there's no doubt that Spain is not the true mother but a fake and pretend to be a mother. It is reasonable therefore to separate from their colony and build a new structure - the Katagalugan:

The "son of the nation" of the "Tagalog" hope from the promises of the pretentious mother. They are willing to be adopted from this fake mother and hope that will be treated sons and brothers of the immigrants. However, they were deceived and crushed. This result to the "sons of the nation" as the true sons of the true "mother nation" awakened the desire to take out the said persecution, disgrace, and many abuses that were suffered by the country that were oppressed by the ruthless, greedy and starved monster.

Therefore, the "sons of the nation" were the savior of the "mother nation" and builder of the new Katagalugan. Together from being the "son of the nation" is the responsibility to offer everything even their own lives to the "mother nation." The claim of those who grew in the country as "sons of the nation" and its relation to the concept of "mother nation" shows their belief as one universal family or relatives.

By calling themselves as the "sons of the nation," all those who were born in the country all brothers. Not only this, this also resulted to the transformation of the country as "mother nation." This logical because because being brothers is a fruit from one mother; and being a son has significance only in front of his mother. This awareness could not be deny from the Katipuneros. From their beliefs, they are true brothers and the same blood is flowing in their veins.

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Is it clear that their brotherhood resulted from the "mother nation" - the one and only nation were all people grown. This relationship is among the ways to build the nation or the Katagalugan or the universal nation - brotherhood, pairedness and collaboration. The understanding and association of Bonifacio and the Katipunero is deep when it comes to family and the new nation that they wanted to build.

Aside from what was mentioned, proof of these is their description of KKK as a creature with womb. In this womb, the "sons of the nation" were form and born. Like a baby that were form for nine months inside the mother's womb. The "sons of the nation" also went to this kind of process. The compliance of those strict requirements before a "son of the nation" is born can be likened to the formation of the baby inside the womb of his mother. In KKK, this pregnancy or formation is referred by them as purification.

In this context, the important role of the son in the formation of family (the Katagalugan) could not be deny. Like I mentioned above, they are the savior and builder of the whole family - the universal nation. It is their obligation to save and defend the "mother nation" against slavery through rebellion.

It is undeniable that the nation that Bonifacio and the Katipuneros wanted to establish is the product of their personal experience, culture and history as people who grow in the country. The socio-political-culture nation has no doubt that it was rooted from experience, culture and history of the nation.

The concept of universal nation that were begotten int he minds of Bonifacio and the Katipunero is a strong proof of this. This universal nation is a new nation that covers and unite all the small nations or the city all ethnic groups in the Philippines belong.

Katagalugan is the name referred by the Katipunan and Bonifacio of the universal nation. A universal nation unites and take care of those small nations or villages who grown in the country, the Katagalugan is tranforming as "mother nation." Aside from this, the Katagalugan is also the universal nation to oppose and fight the ruling colony.

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Source:
Saliksik
Angelita S. Nunag