I’ve had that dream, the one where you go up the mountain to get your traditional tribal tattoo from the one and only historical treasure Whang-Od. The elderly lady thought to be around 100 years old. The oldest tattoo artist alive. You think she will gaze into your eyes and reach deep into your soul and draw out the symbol that will emblazon your skin and be one with you as you travel through life…I get it, I do and it was the only way I would ever consider getting inked. The way tattoo began – to symbolize battles won, journeys achieved and symbols of protection to keep us safe through our days.

Here’s the thing though, here is the nasty truth. As is generally the case here in the Philippines, something beautiful is now being exploited and it is not okay.

There is talk of how hundreds of people travel up almost daily, tarnishing the village through their disrespect of culture, nature, and lacking common decency. Garbage is left to desiccate the area and Whang-Od is apparently a little sick and tired. Who can blame her? And who can forget that disgraceful treatment of her when she came here for Manila Fame last year. Rappler called it ‘…a blatant act of exploitation and commodification of her culture’ – how cool is that word by the way – commodification. That’s a keeper (it means ‘to make a commodity, make commercial’ – thanks dictionary.com).

But what are we to do if we genuinely want a traditional keepsake, a memory keeper etched onto our skin, here in the Philippines? Well, actually it’s very simple. You go to Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo and visit the Kalinga Tattoo Artist who works there.

So, you know…I got a tattoo

So, that is what I did. I had a friend come with me who is a very experienced medical professional. Her job was to keep an eye on hygiene, resuscitate if required, and fix any sepsis that may occur. BBug as we shall know her, did point out that if that stage was reached it was best I get to a hospital.

The tattoo artist’s name is Denden. A quiet young man with limited English, he has a sweet young face but I did wonder what life for him was like up in the mountains. His grandfather taught him the art in his village, which is next door to Whang-Od’s, and yes ‘of course’ he knows her. But that conversation ended there. It did also cross my mind that I was stepping onto a very shaky line between his strong cultural identity in the Kalinga region, and my desire for a deeply personal memory keeper of this most incredible three and half years I have had living in this country. Was he offended by me? I do not know, but I do feel it important to show utmost respect at all times to what you are doing should you choose to come here. Seek permission to take photographs and speak well of your surroundings.

Denden does not decide your design, that is up to you. He has designs to choose from or you can bring your own. For my design, I took counsel with my friend Ged, who is Igorot and knows about these things. I wanted to be sure that my design would not cause offence, that it was a suitable ‘feminine’ symbol and that I was culturally sensitive. Ged told me that feminine symbols were usually of nature and animals and I loved Ged’s ideas of what represented my soul. I shared these thoughts with Denden who showed me pages of his designs. I found two that immediately captured me, ummed and ahhed over them until I made a decision,  and then we got started.

Now, for those who know me the very best will know I do not like tattoos. The idea of something permanent freaks me out. But living here, my view of life and how I live has shifted, and for me it became an exciting idea. To have a traditional tattoo as a symbol of the love I have of this country and our time here. It is simple, hidden, but meaningful.

Denden’s tattoo studio is in the corner of the Kalinga gallery. The building is one of the small whitewashed, Spanish style buildings, filled with light, with a high ceiling. Artifacts from the mountain tribes are carefully arranged on display and the beautiful weave is laid around adding a spark of colour. The portraits of five female elders sit high on the wall, watching over the room. These women are beautiful. Their faces capture their life journeys and the stories they have to tell are etched on their skin. One of them is Whang-Od and I felt something lovely knowing she was watching over Denden as he worked.

This is the traditional tattoo technique, where charcoal or dye is ‘tapped’ into the skin with a sharp thorn. Denden sat me down in a seat, in front of a window and we watched with interest as he laid out his equipment. Spreading out freshly picked calamansi thorns, Denden selected the right one, then using a small blade he sharpened it, flattening it slightly on one side. He carefully attached it to his small bamboo stick and used alcohol to disinfect everything as he worked. Then when everything was set up, he drew the design on my back, and got his coconut bowl, poured in some finely ground charcoal, mixed it with a little water to make a paste, dipped the thorn in and said ‘OK I am going to start’.

It didn’t hurt like I thought it would. This tattoo is on my shoulder blade – so not a hugely painful area. I sat hunched over slightly, elbows on my legs for support. I could hear the buzzing of insects in the garden outside, it was such a hot day and the heat was streaming through the window. There was a small pedestal fan and it hummed gently, and then there was the ‘tap tap tap’. The pain was gentle and with the tapping sensation, it felt intoxicating. It felt ritualistic and I felt a kind of euphoria. I loved it.

The finished product

Details

Where: Pinto Art Museum, you can book in, or turn up.

Cost: I was quoted between 800-1000p, I paid 1000p. Don’t forget there is an entry fee into Pinto Art Museum: 200p adults, 100p children, kids under 3 are free.

Time: My design was small and simple, it only took around 45 minutes from setup to finish. Afterwards Denden gave me my thorn as a keepsake.