Whang Od at the age of 94 is the remaining "mambabatok" or tattoo artist of Kalinga. She resides in the remote village of Buscalan and belongs to the Butbut tribe.
My friend Weng wanted to meet and be inked by Apo Wang Od. Together with Romer we push through this trip without any concrete plan. I only have information on how to get there. Some travel blogs do have tricky information.
We agreed to meet at Victory terminal in Kamias. The long queue of passengers in the terminal welcomes us. Weng uses her charm and we found ourselves on board the bus bound to Tabuk. Only one seat is available and Weng occupy it. Romer and I sit on the aisle.
It was a long a trip that Romer and I slept on the aisle good thing we had a sleeping bag with us.
We are too early for the departure schedule of the mini bus bound to Bontoc. We had a breakfast at a carenderia then boarded a bus on a top load. It was a 4 hours of a roller coaster ride. We alighted at the Brgy. Bugnay. We asked locals for direction to Buscalan. We trek uphill to the village where Apo Whang Od resides.
The Buscalan village is scenic with array of rice terraces. There is also a waterfall.
One of the well kept art of Kalinga is the way of making tattoo called "pagbabatok". This is one of a kind art because it depicts culture and tradition that spans for a thousand years. Tattoo is used as a right of passage for women and a symbol of courage and valor for men.
Using the traditional hand tapping method, Whang Od mixes her ink in a coconut bowl using soot and water to create a thick, dark pigmentation. using a siit (orange thorn needle) attached to a bamboo stick, Whang Od takes another bamboo stick to tap and hammer the needle into the skin. Often times, a wooden stencil would be used for more intricate and complex patterns.
As this method is hand based, the process is much more painful than what the western world has adopted as standard practice; though the exclusivity of the knowledge and privileged application of such a tattoo makes the practice less fashion and more ornamental and identifiable as a status symbol.
We reached Buscalan at around 2pm.We also meet this young couple. We asked them if we could stay in their house in case Wang Od house can't accommodate us.
These young couples were so accommodating. They have two children named Natasha and Nataniel.
It's a different world wandering around the village. Black boars were roaming around. We got back to Wang Od house then Weng and Romer inked by this legendary icon.
Past noon we go back to Bugnay and waited a bus to Bontoc. We took the Bontoc-Baguio-Manila route.
Today, Whang Od tattoos out of necessity. She uses the money to buy pigs and hens to feed her village. She loves the visitors and finds solace and meaning in her artistry.
Buscalan Village in Tinglayan, Kalinga
1. via Tabuk City Kalinga
manila to tabuk - bus (victory liner in kamias )10 hrs/700pesos
tabuk to bugnay(tinglayan) - bus bound to bontoc etd-8am / 4 hrs/150 pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
2. via Bontoc
manila to bontoc -bus
bontoc to bugnay -bus/jeep bound to tabuk/120 pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
3. via Baguio City
manila to baguio -bus
baguio to bontoc-bus 6 hrs /170pesos
bontoc to bugnay -bus/jeep bound to tabuk 2 hrs/120pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
4. via Tuguegarao City
manila to tuguegarao - bus
tuguegarao to tabuk -van
tabuk to bugnay(tinglayan) - bus bound to bontoc etd-8am / 4 hrs/150 pesos
bugnay to buscalan- hike for 1 hour or ride a habal-habal-50pesos
Special thanks to Rome Romer and Weng Bulaon for the photos!
