A bust of Jose Rizal was unveiled on July 4th in the courtyard of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague. The Knights of Rizal’s supreme commander flew in from Manila to attend the event. Monuments and markers dedicated to our national hero, Jose Rizal, can be found all across the globe, from Madrid to Chicago and Hong Kong. This is largely due to Rizal’s extensive writings about the places he visited during his lifetime. However, it is unclear whether Rizal ever set foot on Dutch soil, unlike nearby Ghent in Belgium, where his novel “El Filibusterismo” was published in 1891.
So, why then was a monument dedicated to Rizal installed in the Netherlands? Well, Rizal did write about his encounter with young Dutch sisters on a sea voyage from Singapore to Marseilles. He also expressed curiosity about materials in Leiden and Utrecht that could provide insights into early Philippine history. Rizal intended to meet Professor Hendrik Kern, a linguist and Orientalist at Leiden University. As a master of languages, Rizal certainly had an understanding of Dutch. In fact, he mentioned in a letter to his friend that he was studying Dutch and searching for books to add to his collection.
Furthermore, Rizal admired the Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker, who wrote the novel “Max Havelaar: Or the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company” under the pen name Multatuli in 1860. This novel deeply influenced Rizal while writing “El Filibusterismo.” Both Dekker and Rizal shared similar views on the harsh realities of colonialism and sought to expose them. Dekker’s novel played a significant role in reforming Dutch colonial policies in the Dutch East Indies. It is worth noting that a museum dedicated to Dekker’s writings can be found in Amsterdam.
The issue of colonialism remains relevant in the Netherlands today. King Willem-Alexander recently issued an apology for the practice of slavery in Dutch colonies, including Indonesia. This shows the Dutch’s courage and commitment to facing their past and seeking justice. While Dekker passed away before Rizal’s time in Europe, their shared aspirations for oppressed peoples connect them in spirit.
On the anniversary of the publication of “El Filibusterismo,” a Dutch translation of the novel was completed in 2020, making it more accessible to the Dutch people. The installation of the Rizal bust in The Hague serves as a symbolic link between Filipinos and the Dutch and documents the connection between Rizal and Dekker. This installation represents a meaningful people-to-people connection.
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