Information and education can be widely distributed about diversity at the touch of a button. I was on a pilgrimage to visit the legendary Whang Od; a 97-year-old who is the last woman in the world to claim the title of “Mambabatok”; the tattoo master. The tattoos on her arms are used as a form of beautification and identity which is specific to certain Kalinga tribes. Filipino Tribal Tattoo .. Filipino Art. People are often scared of something that is different, and full sleeve and chest tattoos are not popular culture elsewhere, but we don’t live in a world of division like we used to anymore. She learnt this difficult art from her father, when she was 25-years old girl and then she decided to dedicate her life to the old art of tattooing believed to be almost one thousand years old. Whang-od Oggay also known as Maria Oggay, is a Filipina tattoo artist from Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga, Philippines. Like the Pintados, tattoos are often seen on the bravest warriors and head hunters. Animal skulls and chicken feet hung from every square inch of a nearby house. Picture: Valerie Bautista. Preserved tattoos ancient mummified human remains reveal that tattooing has been practiced throughout the world for many centuries. World renowned Apo Whang-Od is the last practicing traditional mambabatok or tattoo artist in the whole region. Visit her Facebook account here. But make sure to hold on — there are some scary turns. Although locals rarely practice the tattoo tradition today, tourists are currently flocking to Buscalan village to have this living legend scar their skin. However, many do not know that there are many other tribes in the region who also practice such tattooing. Tattoos were a prominent feature among pre-Hispanic tribes of the Philippines. Vengeance is a way of life for Kalinga people.”. I’ve been travelling the world for over seven years now, I went where I wanted and did as I liked, providing I could scrape together the money. Lasoy is said to have declined the offer.Â. The Philippines’ fierce Kalinga tribe has just one remaining ‘mambabatok’, or master tattoo artist: Whang Od, who is nearly 100 years old. “When I left my village I was ashamed of my tattoos. I shouldered my pack and set off into the jungle, following a gaggle of children with extremely unhappy chickens tied to sticks. Unlike modern day tattoos that only have a personal connection with the wearer, the Kalinga tattoos have important social and cultural connotations. Usually it was teenage Kalinga girls like Lasoy who were expected to have tattoos as a symbol of their strength, coming of age and beauty. Killing the enemy in battle and defending the village was the only way a Kalinga man could earn his social stripes, henceforth giving him special privileges and lifelong respect. The design is marked onto the skin using long strips of straight grass, dipped in simple a mixture of charcoal and water. In February  2016 I traveled to the Kalinga capitol of Tabuk where I was a guest at the annual Kalinga Foundation Day festival. She didn’t move like she was 97. They represented beauty and status. Some even say she put Kalinga on the Philippine map of … A century ago, tattoos for Kalinga women were decorative. Meet 103 Years Old Whang-Od Oggay Who is Preserving Kalinga Tattoo Art. Traditional Kalinga Tattoo, Pattern, and Design Batok is a thousand-year tattooing tradition that is a bit more painful than modern methods. Picture: Will Hatton. With her in her nineties, time is running out for her to pass on the time-honored hand tapping technique and tribal motifs to her 13-year-old grand daughter and apprentice. I left Sagada and headed deep into the tribal territory of the Kalingas. She didn’t look like she was 97. 21 April 2020. She is often described as the "last" and oldest mambabatok Picture: Valerie Bautista. The Tattooed Headhunters In the northern part of the Philippines, hardened mountain men from the tribes of Kalinga, Bontoc and Ifugao also practice tattoo rituals or “pagbabatuk ”. 04/24/2018 PhilLife Culture 3. Kalinga tattoos are inspired by objects seen in daily life, such as rice terraces, ladders and centipedes. We passed deep ravines and soaring hills, countless paddy fields, farmers carrying goods to market, children playing in the road, herds of hogs snuffling in the undergrowth and tiny hamlets, clinging to the tiny space between the road and a vertical drop. I felt proud to be a Kalinga women.”, It was in NYC that according to Lasoy’s granddaughter, Dionica, where a curator of a world famous museum approached Lasoy in the street offering her $1000 for every square inch of her skin after she had passed away. Some placement of the designs on women display their social status, such as in Lasoy’s case being the eldest daughter, but generally speaking, singular female tattoos are not known to have important cultural context. I turned, catching the last rays of the sun as they slipped across the valley, and decided I better hurry up. However men's tattoos are meant to have symbolic significance, as specific motifs are saved only for men in order to communicate their bravery, battles won and how many people they have killed. Click here for what you need to know before getting a tattoo. The grins continue with the friendly guide, Pot Pot. For years, the Philippines had called to me; perfect beaches, friendly people, tropical jungles and ancient traditions ... one of which I was fascinated with. Many may mention Apo Whang-Od from Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga as Northern Luzon's tattooing expert. In general it seems Christianity and commercial careers frown upon tattoos and adornments, making it difficult to earn a living and express your identity creatively. He’s pretty stoked to be perched on top of the jeepney. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Although in recent times, it was improperly linked with criminals. It was going to be dark soon. These tattoos are created in batok style; batok, in Tagalog, means “to hit, to strike.” It involves a “single needle taken from the thorn of a citrus plant grown in the Philippines. For decades, Apo Whang Od has kept the traditions of the Butbut tribe alive by tattooing with thorns, soot and a small bamboo hammer. The massive commodification of traditional Kalinga tattoo altered the indigenous culture of the Butbut. Kalinga /Kalinga Tattoos (Batek). Within the tribal culture, the tattoo symbolizes feminine beauty and male courage. As with most cultural practices, time changes people's perception of traditions, and can result in prejudice. It is strictly forbidden for anybody other than a member of the Butbut tribe to be tattooed with an eagle. Female tattoo practitioners were rare, as was the case of Whang-ud from Buscalan in Tinglayan, Kalinga. I hoped he would find me. Will ventured through the jungle in the Kalingas. I had spent most of the morning agonising over what tattoo to get and had, in the end, decided upon a fern; a symbol of rebirth and, I later found out, fertility … I was gonna be one fertile dude by the time this was done. I did not, for in truth it really did not hurt. Picture: Will Hatton. In 16th century culture and society, tattooing was already a common practice among the major warrior groups in the Cordillera, i.e., the Bontoc, the Ifugao and the Kalinga. Lasoy, 84, did not mince her words when replying to my first question, “What does it mean to be from the Kalinga tribe?”. I crashed out almost immediately, exhausted and all too aware that tomorrow I would finally be meeting with Whang Od. Picture: Will Hatton. 5 months ago. “An eye for a eye. The Mambabatok would choose where the tattoo was to go upon the warrior’s body and nobody would know exactly what shape the tattoo would take until the artist began. Most native people have left their small mountain villages only … Kudos to Lars and the team that put it … THIS traveller left civilisation behind and ventured into the jungle in the Philippines, in search of a tribe of headhunting warriors. She was sprightly, humorous even, and smiled from beneath a heavy black hoodie — the kind of thing a gangster rapper might wear. Among Kalinga tribes, batok or tattoos signify prestige, honor, beauty and fortitude. I had absolutely no idea what he looked like so I smiled stupidly at anyone who walked towards me. I was meeting a Filipino guide who was going to help me get to Whang Od and act as a translator once I arrived. When it comes to culture, several countries have different cultures, beliefs, and traditions. My daughter married a American solider, so when my husband died I moved to New York with them. Historically, these tattoos were reserved for members of the tribe, especially the head-hunter. Whang-Od Oggay is inspiring many young individuals to preserve the ancient tattoo tradition. Now, I hoped to join the privileged few who could say that they had been tattooed by the last Kalinga tattoo master. She has been tattooing people for over 80 years. In 2015, scientific re-assessment of the age of the two oldest known tattooed mummies identified Ötzi as the oldest example then known. Some of the tattoos locals have received. Below me a dozen Filipinos lounged with regimented discipline on hard wooden seats. There are so many Philippine’s cultures seen by the locals without knowing why it was being done. It shouldn’t be hard, I reasoned, as I was the only white face for kilometres. Today Kalinga tattoo art is popular with tourists but scarcely adorns authentic skin. Perhaps more can be done on a national level to promote an understanding of ethnic differences and pride in the Philippines, and possibly some sort of financial incentive training program could be offered to a new generation of Kalinga mambabatoks, to learn from Whang-Od before she passes away?Â, The point is something can be done to save this rare and beautiful ethnic art form, but where and how needs to happen now, because it is not yet too late.Â, All photos courtesy of Donna Bramhall. That’s gotta hurt, right? The book is stunningly beautiful--filled with cultural stories and tattoo practices that are disappearing. Based on Kalinga tradition, the master tattooist could only pass on the batok tattooing to blood relatives to prevent getting the tattoos infected by others. The grins continue with the friendly guide, Pot Pot. I felt embarrassed and tried to cover them up. A life for a life. Translations done by representatives from the Department of TourismÂ, Donna is a devoted wanderluster from the UK, she has worked in fashion and textiles most of her life and loves exploring different cultures, countries and clothes around the world. are inspired by objects seen in daily life, such as rice terraces, ladders, and centipedes.  I don’t condone the actions Lasoy’s mother took by forcing her to have tattoos, but when a national dying art is literally on its last legs before extinction, it is hard for me to understand why a revival of the traditional tattooing has not taken off in Kalinga Province? She is often described as the "last" and oldest mambabatok (traditional Kalinga tattooist) and is part of the Butbut people of the larger Kalinga ethnic group. Home Culture Mambabatok: Tattoo tradition in the Philippines 4 min read Mambabatok: Tattoo tradition in the Philippines 4 min read. We raced further into the country, taking hairpin bends with reckless abandon, bouncing along on top of the Jeepney as we climbed into the mountains. An earlier version of this story first appeared on Donna's blog. But later people would ask me about more and more about my culture, and they wanted to see my tattoos. Although tribal wars and blood feuds still exist all over the world, they are less common. However, in the last decade she has begun to tattoo the occasional foreigner who finds their way to her small village. I felt nothing. In a 2018 interview by ABS-CBN News, social anthropologist and Director of Museo Kordilyera Analyn Salvador-Amores said tattoos were criminalized and “associated with deviant behavior” in the 90s. 93-years old Fang-od is the last of Kalinga artists making traditional tribal tattoos (batok) using an orange thorn needle attached to a bamboo stick. There I was able to interview Lasoy, one of the few surviving members of her generation with compulsory Kalinga tattoos, on what it meant to be a Kalinga woman, and her complex relationship with her skin art. Kalinga is both a tribal community and land locked province in the heart of the Cordillera Region of North Luzon in the Philippines. Filipino Art Filipino Culture Tatuajes Filipinos Alibata Filipino Tribal Tattoos Polynesian Tattoos Baybayin Tribal Symbols Norse Symbols. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Read more of Hatton’s adventures at TheBrokeBackpacker.com. Pot Pot is a constantly smiling, always giggling, man in his late 30s who somewhat resembled a small Buddha with his shaved head and twinkling eyes. It was there I realized that tattoos were often associated with criminals. All times AEDT (GMT +11). The tattoo tools themselves are made from a instrument constructed in bamboo and razor sharp lemon thorns. There were two kinds of tattoo artists in the past: a resident tattoo … Lars Krutak and the photographers documenting the tattoo culture of the Kalinga people have done an amazing job of providing a rich and "thick" description of this practice. Unfortunately, it was not exactly simple to make an appointment with Whang Od — one simply had to turn up and hope that she felt like tattooing a foreigner. Irresponsible tourism is the culprit in accelerating the destruction of Buscalan. This is his story. Whang-od Oggay , also known as Maria Oggay, is a Filipino tattoo artist from Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga, Philippines. Saved by ed estrada. 1k. I arrived into the village without warning, one minute I was still on the lonely path, the next I had burst from the jungle and was standing next to a wooden shack with a tin roof. Follow her blog at hauteculturefashion.com. An hour later and I was dripping with sweat, I could see ahead a small village perched atop a particularly steep looking hill. Slowly but surely I left civilisation behind as I traipsed further from the road and higher into the hills. Kalinga territory is one of the few places which was never occupied by the Spanish, Americans or even the Japanese; the Kalinga warriors and rugged terrain were simply too much to contend with so most armed groups steered clear and let the tribes pretty much rule themselves; this has resulted in a unique and proud people thriving in the jungles along the Chuco River. Most native people have left their small mountain villages only to encounter that the traditional beauty and pride practices of their tribe are met with prejudice in the low lands. WARNING: The Government urges Australians to be cautious if considering getting a tattoo overseas, as while tattooists in Australia must comply with strict standards, those overseas may not meet the same standards. Picture: Will Hatton. Whack, whack, whack. The wind whipped my hair into a frenzy as I sat, my eyes drawn forwards by the plunging landscape. Kalinga men earned tattoos through acts of bravery, notably through ritual headhunting. Then thorn tip is submerged in the charcoal solution before rigorously hand tapping the piercing point into the design on the skin. I watched as the thorn punctured my skin again and again, forcing the charcoal inside the wound, five times a second. They would place them in the middle of the village before performing rituals wishing the spirits of the victims a happy afterlife. I sat, snacking on fresh mangoes and chatting to a bored policeman, until finally my guide, Pot Pot arrived. The musical noise of the hammer drifted across the village as a crowd of interested villagers watched to see if I would reveal any sign of pain. I sat on a hard block of wood, watching with grim fascination as she lifted the stick and began. A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. KALINGA TATTOO: ANCIENT AND MODERN EXPRESSIONS OF THE TRIBAL is a photographic masterwork that explores the vanishing art of Kalinga tribal tattooing in the remote mountains of the northern Philippines. Finally, the legendary Whang Od. The majestic Cordillera mountains with clouds setting in, Abra Province. It crawled and writhed as Whang Od continued to breathe life into it with her bamboo hammer. Will Hatton says his main motivation was to locate an elusive tribal tattoo artist and get inked, the traditional way. Head hunting has been replaced with firearms and Animist rituals with Christian worship, so there is less and less call for the traditional tattooing traits. The headhunting ended in the 1950s and although tattoos are becoming less and less common in Kalinga culture, they are still an important badge of honour. If there is one person who could best represent the rich culture of Kalinga, a province located in the far north of the Philippines, it is none other than Whang Od, the oldest Filipino tribal tattoo artist. What once was beautiful is now at times considered too bold, and therefor can hinder one’s chances of change from rural life. Tattoos. Once upon a time, the Kalinga tribes were distrustful of strangers and frequently involved in tit for tat headhunting battles with neighbouring groups. Tattoos were a historic part of the tribal culture in the Philippines. The jeepney took us as far as possible before the road dwindled to nothing and we got out to continue on foot. Foremost, this is driven by overcapacity & made even tighter by bandwagon jumpers who outnumber the real aficionados of tattoo & indigenous culture. Next, she picked up a sharp thorn and placed it carefully within another stick before glancing at me, checking that I was ready and preparing her hammer. The Indigenous Culture Of The Kalinga/Ifugao Ceremonies and Rituals I chose the indigenous religion of the Philippines because it fascinates me that certain rituals are still performed to this day. A visit to her home in the Cordillera mountains is one of the most sought-after tattoo pilgrimages in the world. But nowadays, the Kalinga tattoos are no longer made according to tradition. A strange sight awaited him. Gonzalez’s research focuses on the visual and aesthetic Kalinga style of tattoos native to the Philippines. This is supposed to stop them coming back to our village and causing us harm.”. Whang Od carefully outlined the tattoo upon my arm using charcoal and a small stick. Gulp. The tattoo artist’s relatives said that Whang-od could earn as much as P5,000 a day given the stream of tourists. The headhunting ended in the 1950s and although tattoos are becoming less and less common in Kalinga culture, they are still an important badge of honour. Picture: Will Hatton. Nationwide News Pty Limited Copyright © 2020. Kalinga women are strong and would kill their husbands if caught cheating.” There is no doubt in my mind that she is not joking, despite the smile on her face and the intermittent chuckles. Bones adorned the entrance. Inside a coconut shell is charcoal mixed with water inside pierced into the skin with a sharp thorn needle from a calamansi tree. “Kalinga men don’t cheat.” She said assertively, “They wouldn’t dare. I could think of no better way to pay homage to this incredible women and to the Philippines itself than to get a traditional tattoo … this was an idea I had been knocking around for years and, as I watched the tattoo take over my arm, I knew I had made the right decision. Despite her popularity, preserving the rich Kalinga art faces many setbacks. Kalinga tattoos are inspired by objects seen in daily life, such as rice terraces, ladders and centipedes. Tiny droplets of blood decorated my arm as slowly but surely the design came to life upon my flesh. Because of … The ink used for Kalinga tattoo is made from indigenous materials. Ancient and traditional practices. Even if they go to the Cordillera areas, they still cannot figure out what’s the reason why the local tribes in Kalinga do such old practices and continued to do them at present. The eagle, reserved only for warriors of exceptional bravery, was one of the most coveted tattoos in Butbut culture. kalinga symbol. Kalinga is both a tribal community and a landlocked province in the heart of the Cordillera region in northern Luzon, the Philippines. In ones and twos the villagers came out to greet us, they spoke only limited English but luckily Pot Pot acted as a translator and before I knew it I was whisked away by a friendly family and shown a place where I could lay my pack and sleep for the night. The jeepney spat me out in a dusty frontier town called Bontoc. Today, the tribe are a friendly bunch; shy yet smiley, pleasantly surprised that foreigners have begun to make the arduous trek to their village … this was not always the case. Today Kalinga tattoo art is popular with tourists but scarcely adorns authentic skin. Tabuk – In recent years, there has been a rising interest in the traditional cultural practice of tattooing in the Philippines. WHANG-OD’S mastery of Kalinga province’s ancient art of tattooing has been featured on the world stage and has made this elderly woman of … Picture: Valerie Bautista. Kalinga body art and tattoos have a long, rich history, that inextricably ties it to the life and culture of the indigenous community. kalinga symbol ... Filipino Art. Picture: Valerie Bautista. Until recently Kalinga people could be identified from a distance by their distinctive body art. Immersed in the magnificent mountains, Kalinga people lived modest but passionate lives in a world where your skin communicated your social status to the local community. It was only acts like these that could justify men being rewarded with tattoos. I sat atop the jeepney alone, luminous green paddy fields streaming away from me in all directions. He thrust a cold Coke into my hand and urged me to climb atop yet another jeepney and with a belch of exhaust fumes we left Bontoc behind us. The process of tattooing is known amongst the Kalinga people as batok, and the resulting designs are symbolic of strength and power – to the extent that dinuras (women who do not have tattoos) were typically viewed as imperfect, and shamed. Off camera Lasoy reminisced about the head hunting days, “I was young, but I remember the men coming back to our village with the heads of our enemies on sticks. Ethan Stephans. We’re talking the use of thorns, soot and a bamboo hammer. Whang Od recalls the days when Kalinga tattoo culture revolved around two things: enhancing the beauty of its women and showcasing the proud and dark personal histories of its male warriors. 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