Meet the oldest tattoo artist in the world…
Known as the last mambabatok (traditional tattooist in the Philippines), Apo Whang-od Oggay is the oldest tattoo artist in the world and has been tattooing for more than 80 years.
She used to tattoo warriors who earned their marks for protecting their villages and killing known enemies. While these warriors no longer exist, Apo Whang-od Oggay is still an inking legend.
First of all, she has been featured in several television shows and events. Most notably, she was featured in an exhibit at the at the Royal Ontario Museum in Ontario entitled “Tattoos: Ritual. Identity. Obsession. Art.” which opened on April 2, 2016.
Whang-Od lives in a village called Buscalan located high up in the mountains of Kalinga. It takes almost a whole day to travel from the capital, Manila, to Kalinga.
First, the bus ride from Manila to the nearby province of Banaue usually takes about 10 hours! Then, from Banaue, you’ll need to get on a 3-hour van trip to Bontoc, a nearby town. After that, you have to take one last hour-long bus ride going to Tinglayan where the village of Buscalan is located. Finally, after getting off the bus, you’ll need to do a short hike up to Apo Whang-Od’s home.
The good news is it’s cheap! The trip can cost roughly around US$100, including that awesome tattoo! Despite the lengthy journey, she is visited frequently by people all over the world. Worth it? You decide…
Are you up for this? Comment below!
~ The Freedom Team
