The Fascinating Story of a Tattooing Tradition

Apo Whang Od is a Philippine national treasure. A member of the Kalinga tribe in northern Luzon. She was one of the last traditional (mambabatok) tattoo artists in the Philippines.

Wikipedia does a better job here so I quote them directly. Whang-od started tattooing at the age of 15. A traditional art form that she learned from her father. Who’s considered a master tattooist in the region. Traditionally, only men with special tattooing ancestry were allowed to learn the art. Whang-od was an exception due to her talent and potential seen by her father. Whang-od however, has chosen apprentices consisting of only women. breaking the patrimonial tradition for the first time in recorded Kalinga history. Despite breaking tradition, her community accepted her decision. She has been doing the batok. The traditional hand-tapped tattooing. On male headhunters who earned the tattoos by protecting villages or killing enemies. She also tattoos women of the Butbut people in Buscalan, Kalinga. Womens tattoos are primarily for aesthetic purposes. As a traditional Kalinga tattooist or mambabatok, she has done fortune telling and chants while doing tattoos. Every design she creates contains symbolic meanings specific to the mambabatok culture. For example, a warrior who had killed an enemy would be given an eagle tattoo upon his return from battle.

She lives in the tiny village of Buscalan in northern Luzon. While her village is small, it has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for people in the tattoo community. I had the chance to visit her in 2014 when she was 97 years old . This series is a set I photographed (and had some help being photographed as I was getting a tattoo by her. She is still tattooing and slowly passing her knowledge on to her two female apprentices. No one knows how long she will continue working. But judging by how spry she was when I went to visit I can image she will be going for quite a while longer.

As for my own experience being tattooed by a living legend. The journey was a long and fun one.  I was travelling the area of Batad in 2014. My partner at the time suggested that I might be interested in visiting Apo. Only problem was, I didn’t know where she was located and I had no transportation.  Enter, a random Czech traveller who heard from our hotel that I was interested in travelling to see Apo Whang Od. As was he.  All we needed were some wheels. So, 20 minutes and two dirt bikes later, we were ready to roll. First thing in the morning.  It was, if I recall. Approximately a 6 hour drive through the mountains of the Northern Philippines. Simply to reach the small pathway that lead to the village of Buscalan. 

Looking at the map today, it appears that there is now a zip line and a larger path leading to the village. In 2014, not so much. We drove to a small offshoot path from the main road and parked the bikes. Then began the search for the footpath to the village. Then came the descent into the valley, then the climb out of the valley. Once we started the climb out we started meeting local villagers on their way down. We had been told that the ladies like sweet candies from the city as they don’t get them in the village. So we stocked up on candy before coming.  That local intel was 100% correct. We were almost out of bribe candy before we got to the top of the valley and into the village. 

After arriving at the village we were met by a lady who knew exactly why we had come. Well, Me at least. We were given a room in the only place in the village that had space for guests. A small bamboo stilt hut right near the entrance to the village. After downing a few beers (they even had ice!) around a campfire that evening, we went to bed on the floor. While the owner of the home slept on the bed beside us in the same room. Snoring softly all night. 

At 5:30am the next morning we woke up. Perhaps not because we were well rested. But because that’s when the light came through the open windows and the snoring stopped. 

After a quick breakfast the lady whose floor we had slept on told me that Apo Whang Od was ready to see me. 

Off we went to her home. Outside on the ground was a small wooden stool . No taller than 15 to 20cm high and an array of the tools she would use to make the tattoo. Wandering through the front yard were an assortment of chickens, a cat and the odd pig. Not your typical tattoo setting.  After selecting a design from a weathered copy of Lars Krutaks book.  ( I chose what I was told, was a design of stacked rice stalks) Apo went to work. Making a centipede design. It didn’t bother me in the slightest that she made something completely different. It didn’t matter. She could select whatever she wanted. 

Over the next 5 hours I sat while she worked. Tap tap tap went the stick against the tree thorn used as a needle. Pushing the fire soot, water and tree sap ink into my arm.  All the while I am watching the sun rise and cast streaks of light across the mountains.  After about two and a half hours of tattooing we both needed a break. My arm was sore and Apo was, justifiably, getting tired. So we had a little cigarette break together and shortly after Grace, her apprentice took over.  Once the tattoo had healed. The section of which artist had tattooed which part of my are was distinctly visible. 

With her better eyesight, Grace’s work was tighter and more even, while Apo was a little more erratic. This didn’t matter though as both parts told the whole story of the tattoo and the experience as a whole. 

After finishing I asked Apo if I could make a portrait of her. According to the other people in the village, The portrait I made was one of the first ones where she is smiling. A small enigmatic, almost Mona Lisa smile.  And is a portrait that I am proud to have made.

To this day, No matter how many tattoos I collect. The experience and time spent with Apo Whang Od in the village of Buscalan is one that I will remember forever. A story I will never tire of telling. 

UPDATE!! –  As of August 2025  Apo Whang Od is still tattooing at the age of almost 108 years of age. From what I understand She doesnt Tattoo much anymore but leaves that to her apprentices.