Katipunan

(Philippines Twitter)-Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night of July 7, when Filipino writer José Rizal was to be banished to Dapitan. Initially, the Katipunan was a secret organization until its discovery in 1896 that led to the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution.

The word "katipunan", literally meaning 'association', comes from the root word "tipon", a Tagalog word, meaning "society" or "gather together". Its official revolutionary name is Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (English: Highest and Most Honorable Society of the Children of the Nation, Spanish: Suprema y Venerable Asociación de los Hijos del Pueblo). The Katipunan is also known by its acronym, K.K.K..

Being a secret organization, its members were subjected to the utmost secrecy and were expected to abide with the rules established by the society. Aspirant applicants were given standard initiation rites to become members of the society. At first, membership in the Katipunan was only open to male Filipinos; later, women were accepted in the society. The Katipunan had its own publication, Kalayaan (Liberty) that had its first and last print on March 1896. Revolutionary ideals and works flourished within the society, and Philippine literature were expanded by some of its prominent members.

Formation

The Katipunan and the Cuerpo de Compromisarios were, effectively, successor organizations of La Liga Filipina, founded by José Rizal, as part of the late 19th century Propaganda Movement in the Philippines. Katipunan founders Andrés Bonifacio, Ladislao Diwa, and Teodoro Plata were all members of La Liga and were influenced by the nationalistic ideals of the Propaganda Movement in Spain.

Marcelo H. del Pilar, another leader of the Propaganda Movement in Spain, also influenced the formation of the Katipunan. Modern-day historians believe that he had a direct hand in its organization because of his role in the Propaganda Movement and his eminent position in Philippine Masonry; most of the Katipunan's founders were freemasons. The Katipunan had initiation ceremonies that were copied from masonic rites. It also had a hierarchy of rank that was similar to that of freemasonry. Rizal's Spanish biographer Wenceslao Retana and Filipino biographer Juan Raymundo Lumawag saw the formation of the Katipunan as Del Pilar's victory over Rizal: "La Liga dies, and the Katipunan rises in its place. Del Pilar's plan wins over that of Rizal. Del Pilar and Rizal had the same end, even if each took a different road to it.

Founding of the Katipunan

Captured Katipunan members (also known as Katipuneros), who were also members of La Liga, revealed to the Spanish colonial authorities that there was a difference of opinion among members of La Liga. One group insisted on La Liga's principle of a peaceful reformation while the other espoused armed revolution.

On the night of July 7, 1892, when Rizal was banished and exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao, Andrés Bonifacio, a member of the La Liga Filipina, founded the Katipunan in a house in Tondo, Manila.Bonifacio did establish the Katipunan when it was becoming apparent to anti-Spanish Filipinos that societies like the La Liga Filipina would be suppressed by colonial authorities. He was assisted by his two friends, Teodoro Plata (brother-in-law) and Ladislao Diwa, plus Valentín Díaz and Deodato Arellano. The Katipunan was founded along Azcarraga St. (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) near Elcano St. in Tondo, Manila. Despite their reservations about the peaceable reformation that Rizal espoused, they named Rizal honorary president without his knowledge. The Katipunan, established as a secret brotherhood organization, went under the name Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Bayan (Supreme and Venerable Society of the Children of the Nation)

The Katipunan had four aims, namely:

to develop a strong alliance with each and every Katipunero

to unite Filipinos into one solid nation;

to win Philippine independence by means of an armed conflict (or revolution);

to establish a republic after independence.

The rise of the Katipunan signaled the end of the crusade to secure reforms from Spain by means of a peaceful campaign. The Propaganda Movement led by Rizal, del Pilar, Jaena and others had failed its mission; hence, Bonifacio started the militant movement for independence.

Organization

The Katipunan was governed by the Supreme Council (Tagalog: Kataastaasang Sanggunian). The first Supreme Council of the Katipunan was formed around August 1892, a month after the founding of the society. The Supreme Council was headed by an elected president (Pangulo), followed by the secretary/secretaries (Kalihim); the treasurer (Tagaingat-yaman) and the fiscal (Tagausig). The Supreme Council also had its councilors (Kasanguni); the number varied through presidencies.To distinguish from presidents of lower sanggunian or councils (below) the president of the Supreme Council was called the Supreme President (Tagalog: Kataastaasang Pangulo; Spanish: Presidente Supremo). Initially, the Supreme Council was headed by Deodato Arellano, and the following as officials:

Deodato Arellano, Supreme President

Andrés Bonifacio, comptroller

Ladislao Diwa, fiscal

Teodoro Plata, secretary

Valentín Díaz, treasurer

In February 1893, the Supreme Council was reorganized, with Ramón Basa as Supreme President and Bonifacio as the fiscal. In January 1895, Bonifacio assumed the Supreme Presidency of the Katipunan. At the outbreak of the 1896 revolution, the Council was further reorganized into a 'cabinet' which the Katipunan regarded as a genuine revolutionary government, de-facto and de-jure.

Andrés Bonifacio, President

Emilio Jacinto, Secretary of State

Teodoro Plata, Secretary of War

Briccio Pantas, Secretary of Justice

Aguedo del Rosario, Secretary of the Interior

Enrique Pacheco, Secretary of Finance

Marina Dizon, head of women's division

Members

Over the next four years, the Katipunan founders would recruit new members. By the time the society was uncovered, the American writer James Le Roy estimated the strength of the Katipunan at 100,000 to 400,000 members. Historian Teodoro Agoncillo estimated that the membership had increased to around 30,000 by 1896. The Ilocano writer Isabelo de los Reyes estimated membership at 15,000 to 50,000.

Aside from Manila, the Katipunan also had sizeable chapters in Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. There were also smaller chapters in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan and the Bicol region. The Katipunan founders spent their free time recruiting members. For example, Diwa, who was a clerk at a judicial court, was assigned to the office of a justice of the peace in Pampanga. He initiated members in that province as well as Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. Most of the Katipuneros were plebeian although several wealthy patriots joined the society and submitted themselves to the leadership of Bonifacio.

Katipunero (plural, mga Katipunero) is the demonym of a male member of the Katipunan. Katipunera (plural, mga Katipunera) refers to female members.

Triangle system and grades

It was the original plan of Bonifacio to increase the membership of the Katipunan by means of sistemang patatsulok or triangle system. He formed his first triangle with his two comrades, Teodoro Plata and Ladislao Diwa. Each of them re-instituted Katipunan thoughts into another two new converts. The founder of the triangle knew the other two members, but the latter did not know each other. On December 1892 the system was abolished after proving it to be clumsy and complicated. A new system of initiation, modelled after the Masonic rites was then adopted.

Membership

Any person who wished to join the Katipunan was subjected to certain initiation rites, resembling those of Masonic rites, to test his courage, patriotism, and loyalty. New recruits underwent the initiation rite three at a time so that no member knew more than two other members of the society. The neophyte was first blindfolded and then led into a dimly-lighted room with black curtains where his folded cloth was removed from his eyes. An admonition, in Tagalog, was posted at the entrance to the room:

“ Kung may lakás at tapang, ìkaw'y makatutuloy!

(If you have strength and valor, you can proceed!) ”

“ Kung ang pag-uusisa ang̃ nagdalá sa iyó dito'y umurong ka.

If what has brought you here is only curiosity–go away! ”

“ Kung di ka marunong pumigil ng̃ iyong masasamang hilig, umurong ka; kailan man ang pintuan ng̃

May-kapangyarihan at Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng̃ mg̃á Anak ng̃ Baya'y bubuksan dahil sa iyó.

If you cannot control your passions, retire. Never shall the doors

of the Supreme and Venerable Society of the Sons of the People be opened to you. ”

Inside the candle-lit room, they would be brought to a table adorned with a skull and a bolo. There, they would condemn the abuses of the Spanish government and vow to fight colonial oppression:

1. ¿Anó ang kalagayan nitóng Katagalugan nang unang panahun? (In what condition did the Spaniards find the Tagalog people when they came?)

(Expected answer) "When the Spaniards came to the Philippine shores on March 16, 1521, the Tagalogs were already in a civilized state. They had freedom of government; they had artillery; they had silk dresses; they had carried on commerce with Asia; they had their own religion and their own alphabet. In short, they had liberty and independence."

2. ¿Anó ang kalagayan sa ngayón? (In what condition do they find themselves now?)

(Expected answer) "The friars have not really civilized the Tagalogs, since enlightenment was contrary to their interests. The Tagalogs were merely superficially taught formulas of Catechism for which they paid numerous costly fiestas for the benefit of the friars."

3. ¿Anó ang magiging kalagayan sa darating na panahun? (What hopes do they have for the future?)

(Expected answer) "With faith, valor, and perseverance, these evils will be remedied."

Admission of women to the society

At first, Katipunan was purely a patriotic society for men. Owing to the growing suspicion of the women regarding nocturnal absences of their husbands, the reduction of their monthly earnings and "long hours of work", Bonifacio had to bring them into the realms of the KKK. A section for women was established in the society: to become admitted, one must be a wife, a daughter, or a sister of a male katipunero. It was estimated that from 20 to 50 women had become members of the society.

The first woman to become member of the Katipunan was Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Bonifacio. She was called the Lakambini ng Katipunan (Princess of the Katipunan). Initially, there were 29 women were admitted to the Katipunan: Gregoria de Jesus, Marina Dizon, president of the women's section; Josefa and Trinidad Rizal, sisters of Dr. José Rizal; Angelica Lopez and Delfina Herbosa Natividad, close relatives of Dr. Rizal; Carmén de Rodriguez; Marina Hizon; Benita Rodriguez; Semiona de Rémigio; Gregoria Montoya; Agueda Kahabagan, the "Joan of Arc of the Philippines"; Teresa Magbanua, the "Joan of Arc of Visayas"; Trinidad Tecson, rendered as "Mother of Biak-na-Bato"; Nazaria Lagos; Patronica Gamboa; Marcela Agoncillo; Melchora Aquino, the "Grand Old Woman of Balintawak"; Marta Saldaña and Macaria Pañgilinan.

The women rendered valuable services to the Katipunan. They guarded the secret papers and documents of the society. Whenever the Katipunan held sessions in a certain house, they usually made merry, singing and dancing with some of the men in the living room so that the civil guard were led that there was nothing but a harmless social party within.

Notable Katipuneros

Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) - First and only president of the then First Philippine Republic, Katipunan's successor. He was also a war general and head of the Magdalo faction that led to a strife among the Katipuneros. During his presidency, he ordered the execution of Andrés Bonifacio in 1897.

Andrés Bonifacio (1863–1897) - Supremo, third leader and founder of the Katipunan.

Gregoria de Jesús (1875–1943) - called as the Lakambini ng Katipunan (Muse of the Katipunan) and nicknamed Aling Oryang, she was the wife of Bonifacio before marrying Julio Nakpil after the former's death. She was also regarded as one of the first women members of the Katipunan.

Gregorio del Pilar (1875–1899) - entered the Katipunan circle when he joined the First Philippine Republic's army against the Americans. He died during the Battle of Tirad Pass.

Licerio Gerónimo (1855–1924) - Aguinaldo's war general during Philippine-American War.

Emilio Jacinto (1875–1899) - called as the Brains of the Katipunan. He wrote several papers during the Revolution like the Kartilya (Primer).

Vicente Lukban (1860–1916) - Americans regarded him to be the mastermind of the bloody Balangiga massacre in 1901 during Philippine-American War.

Antonio Luna (1866–1899) - Aguinaldo's brigadier general, he led the war against the Americans during Philippine-American War.

Miguel Malvar y Carpio (1865–1911) - commander of the Katipunan and was one of the causes of strife among the society members.

Enrique Pacheco - Alias Resurreccion Macabuhay. Secretary of Finance, and head of the Macabuhay Council.

Macario Sakay

Antonio Soliman

Manuel Tinio (1877–1924) - youngest general of the Katipunan, he later became the governor of Nueva Ecija from 1907-1909.

Aurelio Tolentino

Jacinto Tolentino

Solomon Doma

Julian Carpio (1832–1915) - colonial lawyer, teacher and member of La Liga Filipina, he later served as legal advisor to the Katipunan. His tenacious ability in argumentative reasoning earned him the nickname "demente viejo" among the colonial Principalía. In spite of being devout Catholic, Carpio, like other Filipino revolutionaries, was a member of the Freemasons before the formation of the Katipunan. In Manila, Julian ran a private law school which many of his personal socio-political ideals succeeded to his students. Notable Katipuneros under his tutelage was Gregorio Aglipay and Miguel Malvar.