Apo Whang Od is not only the oldest tattoo artist in the world. Why Whang-OD is not a Gamaba awardee? Filipino anthropologist and University of the Philippines Baguio professor Analyn Salvado-Amores said that though she has no objections on Whang-od's nomination to the GAMABA, Whang-od ...
Open Access BPO’s leadership team recently trekked to Buscalan in the Philippines’ Kalinga province to unveil a monumental marble bust in homage to the mambabatok (indigenous tattoo artist) Apo Whang-Od. The turnover ceremony for the bust commenced on the morning of May 3rd with a ...
“Whang-Od kept the tradition [of batok] alive by starting a tattoo tourism industry, and that in itself is remarkable,” she said. “The ritualistic significance of receiving a tattoo is different now, or may not apply at all, since most people don’t take heads in tribal warfare. They...