Thread: 106-year-old Indigenous Filipino tattoo artist becomes Vogue cover model

Vogue Philippines released its April issue on Friday and its newest cover model is an 106-year-old indigenous Kalinga woman, Apo Whang-Od, also known as Maria Oggay.


Whang-Od, from the small mountain village of Buscalan in the Philippines, is considered the country’s oldest mambabatok (traditional tattooist). She has become famous for mastering a 1,000-year-old “batok” tattooing technique, which uses a traditional tapping method utilizing charcoal soot and a sharp stick. She began learning the traditional method from her father at 16 years old, the magazine reported.


“Apo Maria 'Whang-Od' Oggay symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit," Vogue Philippines wrote in a tweet. "Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery & beauty on the skin."

Her artwork has driven waves of tattoo tourism to the Philippines, where people from all over the world visit her to receive one of her legendary designs, according to Vogue.


Whang-Od has passed down her knowledge to her grandnieces, Elyang Wigan and Grace Palicas, whom she has trained in the tattooing art for several years, she told Vogue. Her work has inspired a new generation of batok artists in the Philippines and United States, the magazine reported.


“When visitors come from far away,” Whang-Od told Vogue in the Butbut language, “I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see.”


Whang-Od is the face of Vogue Philippines’ Beauty issue, which “also highlights the female gaze,” according to the magazine.

106-year-old Indigenous Filipino tattoo artist becomes Vogue cover model

Looks very similar to the Hawaiian tattoos.

Ive watched a couple of utubes of this amazing women ..and ive worked in Kalinga province, wild place, mountainous ,and a hard life, people were great though

There's the gorilla thing going on here? She may have been a looker?

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

There's the gorilla thing going on here? She may have been a looker?

Yeah, might of been a cutie back in the day, probably knock up a decent adobo to? We are about 90.years to late.

Obviously a woman who has foresight enabling her to live a long life. Also, she has ensured that her cremation will take place efficiently as she is preloaded with charcoal.

Originally Posted by TTraveler

Looks very similar to the Hawaiian tattoos.

Anthropologists figure most of the Pacific islands were populated by folks from Philippines a few thousand years ago so reckon tattoo art went with them.

That makes a lot of sense

Originally Posted by Norton

Anthropologists figure most of the Pacific islands were populated by folks from Philippines a few thousand years ago so reckon tattoo art went with them.

. . . and Taiwan before that

Oldest Vogue cover model challenges common misconceptions about beauty and aging

Gracing the cover of Vogue Magazine Philippines’ Beauty Issue is a 106-year-old lady from one of the hill tribes in the Northern Philippines. Creating quite a stir globally, the cover caught the attention of celebrities like Halle Berry and Naomi Campbell, along with journalists, broadcasters, and even politicians. The lady on the cover is Apo Whang-od, a Filipino traditional tattoo artist who, to this day, is still practicing her passion.


Living treasure


Considered by many as one of the Philippines’ living national treasures, Apo Whang-od, or Maria Oggay, is her country’s oldest mambabatok – the local term for the Filipino traditional art of tattooing. Each morning at dawn, Whang-od blends a mixture of ink from pine soot and water in preparation for applying hand-tapped tattoos on the bodies of people from around the world.


Many come to see her, although the journey is no small feat. Visitors make a 15-hour drive north of Manila to the northern mountain village which is only accessible by hiking a mile from the nearest dirt road through forests and rough terrain.


Whang-Od inks multiple tattoos a day using just a few tools—a thorn from a pomelo tree, a foot-long bamboo stick, charcoal, and water. The hand-made ink is tapped deep into the skin using the thorn and bamboo. The results are permanent motifs that range from lines to simple shapes, and from tribal prints to animals. Each has a meaning such as strength, beauty, and fertility.


Breaking barriers


Whang-Od was just 15 when, under the guidance of her father, she started her tattoo apprenticeship. It represented a break in the practice as, at that time, men were the only ones allowed to learn how to tattoo.


As the first and only female mambabatok of her time, Whang-Od would travel to far and neighboring villages, summoned by host communities to imprint the sacred symbols of their ancestors on individuals who had crossed or were about to cross a threshold in their lives.


This traditional art can only be passed on within one’s bloodline. However, Whang-od is not a bit worried that the art will die out. Although she has no children of her own, she has trained her grandnieces to become tattoo masters too.


But apart from her unique life story, what drew attention to the latest Vogue cover was the undeniable beauty of the 106-year-old artist. At a time when most people are in awe of young models and celebrities gracing the covers of beauty magazines, the picture of an elderly woman on the cover of Vogue was greeted with delight.


Upon seeing the cover, Khun Berna, a retired professor from a university in Bangkok, celebrated. “Yay! Let us break the mould that ageing diminishes our humanity, when in fact it magnifies our inner soul. There may always be beauty in youth, but this magazine cover reminds us that beauty is far more than just skin deep,” she said.


Halle Berry, the famous Hollywood actress, also posted her reaction on social media. “Now, THIS is real beauty!” she wrote.

No burden


Thailand is among the fastest ageing countries in the world. Since 2005, the country has been classified as an ‘aged society’ as people aged 60 years and above have accounted for 10% of the population. Here, employees can retire at the age of 60 unless the employer’s Work Rules provide a lower retirement age. According to Thai LPA (Labor Protection Act), retiring at 60 is not mandatory and there is the option for the employee to exercise his/her right to retire. However, the employee shall be entitled to receive severance pay once he/she reaches 60 even if the latter wishes to continue working for his/her employer.


Meanwhile, In Whang-od’s native Philippines, some local legislators are now pushing to lower the retirement age to 55.


Pepe Rivera, president and founder of Senior Power Movement Philippines, feels that the latest Vogue cover not only breaks certain standards of beauty, but also puts paid to common stereotypes associated with late adulthood.


“Stereotypes about people in late adulthood lead many to assume that aging brings poor health and mental decline. These stereotypes are reflected in everyday conversations, in the media, and even in greeting cards. Older adults are stereotyped as high maintenance and low competence across cultures. These mixed stereotypes elicit pity and sympathy, which are exactly what we do not need,” he said.


Rivera founded the Senior Power Movement Philippines just a year ago, advocating for greater opportunities for older adults in the Philippines to continue being productive and useful citizens.


“We should stop seeing old people as a burden. Quite the contrary: we should capitalize on the boon offered by longevity. Governments need to develop policies to help older, but still productive citizens, to find full-time employment or more flexible work arrangements. To maximize the advantages of longevity, we will need to rethink both education and traditional career paths, while ensuring that today’s younger generations live as long and as healthily as possible,” he said.


He further added that Whang-od is a great example of an elderly person who can still bring pride and honor to her country.


Clear message


Indeed, when a foreign TV program held a brief discussion about the latest Vogue cover, the lady host could not help but notice Whang-od’s youthful looks. “What could be her secret?” She asked her co-hosts.


Taking their cue from Whang-od’s story, they all agreed that the secret was ‘to keep working’.


In one of her earlier interviews, Apo Whang-od was asked, “Until when will you practice the art of traditional tattoo?” To which the 106-year-old lady replied, “For as long as my vision allows me!”


Oldest Vogue cover model challenges common misconceptions about beauty and aging | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Yes, I think Apo Whang Od was a looker when she was younger - you can still see her beauty until now. (We call her "Apo" as a sign of respect.)

Re: tattoos & Apo Whang Od, some years ago (2016,I think), I hiked Mt Pinatubo together with Filipino guy and 2 Spanish backpackers. After our hike, the Spaniards went north to Baguio, then Buscalan. The other guy & I rode south to Manila. One of the Spaniards said that he wanted to have a tattoo done by Apo Whang Od.

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On FB, I join organized hike tours, wherein one can be a solo joiner, arrive at the meeting place, pay the fee and participate in the hike. Transportation, entrance & guide fees are included in the "hike fee". There are regular hike tours to Buscalan in Kalinga province. Many of the hikers/ joiners go there to get tattoos, either from Whang Od or her nieces. Whang Od's signature is 3 dots. She doesn't do elaborate tattoos anymore - at her age/ syesight/ hands, it's best that she doesn't. According to some hike-mates who've had a tattoo from her, her hands are now heavy (unlike the nieces who have more control and have "lighter" hands). Some ppl join the tours and don't get tattoos - they just want selfies with Whang Od. Whatever the purpose - I think tourism there is a good thing since it brings income to the community.

It's still very rural there - the hikers stay in homestay places or inns. For the joiner tours, it usually takes the whole weekend. I haven't visited Buscalan but have several hike-mates who have done it. Some had tattoos from Whang Od, sime had the more complex ones. You can't design your own tattoo - you have to choose from their catalogue of designs, like warrior, traveller, etc. From what I know, those tattoos had cultural significance for their tribes, but nowadays most of their designs can be had by tourists. There still are some tattoo designs that are only for their tribe (and certain positions in the community).

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Re: anthropology - yes, the "out of Taiwan" theory. There are indigenous groups in Taiwan whose dialect is similar to Filipino dialects in the north. Also, some of their tribes (Taiwanese tribes) - their features are more similar to SE Asians than compared to the Han Chinese. I went to a cultural museum in Taiwan recently and there was a vid of their tribal people speaking their dialect. To me, it sounded a bit like the Ilocano language (language in Northern PH, where the Marcos family comes from.)

If you study some of the languages in SE Asia - Malay, Indo, Filipino, as well as those of the islands in the Pacific (east & west), including the Maoris in New Zealand & the Hawaiian language - there are similarities in some words & structure.

Originally Posted by katie23

There are indigenous groups in Taiwan whose dialect is similar to Filipino dialects in the north. Also, some of their tribes (Taiwanese tribes)

I spent many days back in the 1960s wandering around Taiwan and was amazed at the language simulaties and looks of many SE Asian nations. Lovely people, languages and music.