Danton Remoto flags a mistranslation on Rizal’s historical marker in Sri Lanka

More than a century after José Rizal passed through Colombo on his way to Europe, a single word on a Philippine historical marker is drawing scrutiny.

Award-winning writer and scholar Danton Remoto has called the attention of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to what he says is a mistranslation on the marker at the Grand Oriental Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

“Your marker on the place where Rizal stayed in Colombo has a mistranslation in the last paragraph,” Remoto wrote on Facebook.

The marker commemorates Rizal’s May 1882 visit to Colombo during his first voyage to Europe. Its final paragraph quotes him as saying:

“Colombo is more beautiful, smart, and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle and Manila.”

Remoto questioned the use of “smart.”

“Rizal described Colombo as ‘limpia,’ which means ‘clean.’ You translated it as ‘smart,'” he wrote.

Remoto said the passage should instead read: “Colombo is more beautiful, clean, and elegant than Singapore, Punta de Gales, and Manila.”

The issue, however, may require an examination of the original manuscript or an authoritative edition of Rizal’s diary. Published transcriptions of the May 1882 entry have also rendered the relevant Spanish word as “despejada” or “despejadas,” which can mean clear, open or uncluttered depending on context—not simply “smart.”

Why one word matters

Rizal stopped in Colombo after arriving from Galle aboard the Djemnah. His writings from the journey reveal a young Filipino closely observing the cities he encountered—their streets, buildings, people and cleanliness.

The Grand Oriental Hotel remains associated with that journey and has preserved its connection to the Filipino national hero.

Remoto’s post raises a larger issue about historical markers: they are not merely plaques. They become public records photographed by tourists, quoted by writers and used as references by students.

A questionable translation etched into metal can therefore be repeated for decades.

And when the words being translated belong to Rizal, even a single adjective deserves to be checked.

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