At the age of 106, a woman from the indigenous Filipino community has been featured on the cover of Vogue magazine as a model
Apo Whang-Od, an indigenous Kalinga woman and renowned tattoo artist, is making history as the latest cover model of Vogue Philippines, at the age of 106. She hails from Buscalan, a small mountain village, where she has been practicing her traditional batok tattooing technique using a sharp stick and charcoal soot since her teenage years.
Her popularity as a tattoo artist has drawn tattoo enthusiasts and tourists to her rural outpost, putting her village on the map. She has also passed on her skills to her grand-nieces, Grace Palicas (26) and Elyang Wigan (23).
Vogue Philippines tweeted that Apo Maria “Whang-Od” Oggay embodies the resilience and attractiveness of the Filipino culture. Known as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has engraved symbols on the skin that represent the Kalinga tribe’s strength, courage, and beauty. Despite only providing her signature on her grand nieces’ tattoos nowadays, Whang-Od intends to continue her craft for as long as possible. She stated in the Butbut language to the publication that she would bestow the tatak Buscalan and tatak Kalinga on visitors who travel from far away for as long as she is able to see.
The tweet highlights the uniqueness of Whang-Od’s talent, culture, and dedication to her craft. The complexity of Whang-Od’s cultural heritage and artistic skill is showcased in the tweet, along with her determination to continue practicing her art.
