The Light of Liberty: Documents and Studies on the Katipunan, 1892-1897

Most of the 73 Katipunan documents in this volume were seized by the Guardia Civil in Manila in 1896-1897 and locked away for decades in the Spanish military archives. Transcribed and published here for the first time are two versions of the Katipunan’s founding statutes of 1892; more than twenty records of the Supreme Council; initiation rituals; draft contributions to KALAYAAN, the KKK newspaper; and letters of Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto. Also included here are a few better known documents, such as Bonifacio’s Decalogue, Jacinto’s Kartilya the Acta de Tejeros, and the Naik Military Agreement. The original Tagalog texts are in most cases preceded by brief introductions and followed by English translations or paraphrases. Supplementary essays discuss the Katipunan’s leadership and structure in the city and province of Manila, and the contested historiography of the Katipunan. This volume provides a wealth of fresh insights into the character, ideals and travails of the secret society that launched the struggle for liberty.