Whang-Od- The Oldest and Last Mambabatok of her Generation

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I would never imagined I'd ever have a tatoo in my life. When I was young, I loathed rhe idea of having tatoos- why put graffiti on your body, it's tantamount to desecrating God's creation? Then I read Bantugang Sugbuan chapter on Painted Bodies by Jay Nathan T. Jore that this practice is a Cebuano cultural heritage.

"Decorative painting and decoration in general during the precolonial Cebu were "not architectural, rather it was centered in one important entity - the human- body. As a prized possession, the human body is well celebrated ans decorated. Art was a celebration of this humanist attitude, geared towards the endowment of the human body with the implements and ornamentation that mark the bearers with proper distinction in society and command certain roles in community affairs".

That notion that tattooing was undesirable was further shattered when I visited Whang-od. I also realized that she being an artist and my body- the canvas, I've become technically an ambulatory work of art. 

Whang-od is the oldest and last Mambabatok (tatoo artist) of her generation. As a teenager she used to tatoo the Kalinga warriors. But now that the warrior are gone she continued her craft tattoing tourist and visitors of her place. 

Getting to her home was a sacrifice. After more than half an hour trek through a rugged mountainous terrain, we arrive at the visitors area for same paperworks. During weekends the waiting can last hours but since it was a weekday, we only waited for an hour. 

I had her signiture 3 dot tattoo which to me signifies the Holy Trinity, Love for God, Country and Family and Yield- the traffic sign reminding us not to be selfish and to always give way to others. 

Due to her status as the last Mambabatok of her generation and her role in bringing awareness to a form of traditional tatooing and training several practitioners, many are lobbying for her to be a National Artist of the Philippines. 

She is also nominated as a Living Treasure Award by the National Commission for Culture and the Art.


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