Apo Whang-Od lives in a remote village called Buscalan, a 10-hour drive from the Philippine capital, Manila. The global, fast, flashbulb fashion industry is far away here – not just geographically. But Buscalan, actually a resident of the village, has now made global headlines and the cover of Philippine Vogue. Whang-Od graces the cover of the April issue. And with a power and aesthetics that captivates. She is photographed in a tank top that reveals her intricately tattooed torso and colorful beaded jewelry. It’s a superlative cover: At 106, Apo Whang-Od is the oldest woman on a “Vogue” cover.
She is a traditional tattoo artist of the Kalinga region, a mambabatok, and she is considered the last of her generation. According to “Vogue” she was the first and only female Mambabatok at the time and traveled to villages near and far for her tattoos. Today, people come to her from far and wide: a regional tradition has become a fascination for tourists. Whang-Od, also known as Maria Oggay, works with a special technique: she uses a bamboo stick with a spike at the end, which she taps into the skin, the color is a mixture of soot and charcoal.
She stamped the symbols of the Kalinga tribe on the skin of thousands of people who made the pilgrimage to Buscalan, writes “Vogue Philippines” on Instagram. These symbols are expressions of strength, bravery and beauty.
Whang-Od started her special tattoos when she was a teenager. And she herself passed on her skills to a girl. However, a mambabatok can only pass on her craft within her bloodline. Whang-Od never had children of her own, so her 10-year-old grandniece, Grace Palicas, was chosen as her apprentice, but only reluctantly at first, Vogue reports. “I was the first kid to learn how to tattoo. I just watched what she did,” Palicas, now 26, is quoted as saying.
Apo Whang-Od herself says she will keep going as long as she can see. The 106-year-old doesn’t think about quitting.
Source: Instagram, Vogue, Tagesanzeiger
