INTERVIEW / 109-year-old Kalinga tattooist keeps legacy alive

Kalinga Province, the Philippines, March 7 (CNA) Nestled in the northern Philippine village of Buscalan, 109-year-old Apo Whang-Od has made the once-quiet community famous for her role in preserving Indigenous hand-tapped tattoos.

Buscalan, about 420 kilometers north of Manila in the mountainous province of Kalinga, is the ancestral home of the Butbut Indigenous people and has a population of about 800. Mobile phone signals fade several kilometers outside the village, though residents can still connect to the outside world through wired internet.

Born in Buscalan on Feb. 17, 1917, Whang-Od is the oldest practitioner of the Kalinga batok, drawing travelers from around the world to learn about her craft or get tattooed by her.

Mastery of the art

The batok technique is highly traditional. A sharpened wooden stick is secured to a bamboo handle, then tapped lightly with a small wooden hammer to embed ink in the skin. The ink is made from a mixture of charcoal and water.

Whang-Od's own arms and legs are covered with intricate tattoos. In an interview with CNA earlier this week, she recalled learning the batok technique from her father at the age of 14, starting with simple, small designs that gradually grew in size and complexity.

"We use a single fine thorn from a pomelo branch for the tattoos, unlike machine tattoos that use multiple metal needles," the monolingual Kalinga speaker told CNA through an interpreter.

In Kalinga culture, tattoos for men traditionally symbolize courage, while those for women signify beauty, social status, and identity. Designs often feature geometric patterns or elements from nature and animals, such as eagles, snakes, lizards, mountains, and celestial bodies.

Three dots and a legacy

Among the many tattoo designs offered to visitors in Buscalan, one stands out as Whang-Od's signature: three horizontal black dots, a mark that serves as her personal stamp.

Whang-Od explained that the three dots represent her and her younger relatives, Grace Palicas and Elyang Wigan. "If one day I am gone, they will continue to carry on this signature three-dot tattoo," she said.

Traditionally, the batok technique was not passed down outside the tribe. But as Whang-Od has never married and has no children, she selected two younger relatives from her extended family to train as successors.

However, local Kalingas believe that not everyone is cut out to learn tattooing. There is a traditional belief that says if an apprentice sneezes while giving their first tattoo, it signals that they are not destined to master the craft.

Whang-Od said the key lies in whether the ink will properly hold in the skin, vividly recalling the day she passed her first tattooing test, after which her family held a pig-slaughtering feast to celebrate.

A playful spirit

"I'm delighted to see people travel from far away to visit me, especially since I'm not exactly a beauty," Whang-Od said, laughing at herself and showing her playful side.

Reflecting her playful character, male visitors are sometimes surprised when Whang-Od touches their private parts during tattoo sessions - a practice that has drawn some criticism from outsiders, though most consider it harmless.

The tattooist said she means no offense and does it to lighten the mood and make visitors laugh as some sessions can take a long time. She added that some visitors even request it themselves.

When asked about the secret to her longevity, Whang-Od said she keeps her diet simple, eating mostly light vegetables along with free-range chicken and wild boar meat, and avoids using modern seasonings when cooking.

From village to fame

Buscalan was once isolated, but Whang-Od's renown has turned it into a destination for travelers eager to "pay homage," boosting tourism. Locals have said that about 100 visitors now enter the village on weekdays, rising to 300-400 on weekends. Cars often line the mountain roads, and some visitors who cannot find lodging sleep in their vehicles.

Tourism has brought new livelihoods. Traditional huts have gradually been replaced by concrete buildings, and souvenirs featuring Whang-Od, such as T-shirts and keychains, are widely available. Villagers who once farmed the rice terraces now work as guides or inn operators, and more young residents are beginning to take an interest in the batok technique.

Over the years, Whang-Od has received honors, including the 2018 Dangal ng Haraya lifetime achievement award and the 2024 Presidential Medal of Merit. For the Kalinga people, however, her legacy is measured not by medals but by the ink on each visitor's skin -- especially the three small black dots that mark her signature and ensure the batok tradition continues in the tribe.