Apo Whang Od: Philippines’ Traditional Tattoo Experience
I bet, if you are reading this you have already heard about Apo Whang-Od. If not, she was simply the most famous tatto artist in the Philippines also called as “Mambabatok”.
Earlier this year, I’ve traveled to Buscalan Tattoo Village to personally meet her and have her famous 3 Dots tattooed on me and another set of tattoos that I’ve been planning to have.
In this blog, I’m sharing my experience of getting my first set of tattoos at Buscalan from Xyza and Apo Whang-Od herself. I’m also sharing my experience during my stay and the amazing people I met there.
Anklet tattoo
Since grade school, I’ve always worn an anklet around my right foot. It’s a personal tradition that reminds me of the saying “keep your feet on the ground” or something similar to “don’t think too highly of yourself.”
My first anlet lasted for about 2 years without me removing it until it finally worn out. The second was when I was in highschool but I cant remember anymore if I removed it or it also worn out.
This time, I began wearing my third anklet during the early days of college. It’s a black anklet that I bought from BlueMagic, a gift and accessory store in the Philippines.
By the time I arrived at Buscalan Tattoo Village, I had been wearing it for about 8 years. So, while I was planning a friend of mine advised me to think of my tattoo design in ahead of this trip.
Then I thought of “Why not replace my anklet with a tattoo?”
ᜋᜎᜌ Ma La Ya – Free
Xyza is one of the Butbut Tribe’s young tattoo artists, I think I’ve heard she is the youngest. Among them, she is the best in drawing the initial outline of the tatto designs.
After finally removing my anklet, I asked her to replace it with a simple line anklet tattoo. However, she mentioned that it wouldn’t resemble a traditional tattoo and suggested adding more. Although it wasn’t originally part of my plan, I thought it was a good idea to incorporate some Baybayin characters.
So I came up on adding the Baybayin ᜋᜎᜌ read as Ma La Ya which means Free or Freedom.
Baybayin is a Philippine script and one of the precolonial writing systems used by early Filipinos. Sadly, it is not being used anymore.
Of course, there’s a reason why I chose “Free” or “Malaya.” It was during my first solo trip abroad in India, where I met many people from countries across the Asia Pacific region. Some of them were from Sri Lanka, with whom I became close friends.
Apparently, one of my Sri Lankan friends is renowned as a good palm reader, and he tried to read my palm for me. He said my name means “free person,” and that’s also what my palm lines tell him. I am free, and at some point in the future, I will go to many places and reach my aspirations in life.
At that time, I was confused, and I really didn’t take it seriously. It wasn’t until after 5 years that I looked back at my life, and it turned out that it resonated with me. I am free; I choose my way of life, and I have reached a point where I have achieved some of my dreams in life. So why not tell myself to keep going, you are free.
Bring nothing but memories
Gee, the guy in the blue shirt, is another tourist that I met in the group I joined on this trip. Unlike me, he already has a lot of tattoos around his body.
He didn’t come here with a planned tattoo design but decided on the spot when he found out that there were a few artists besides Apo Whang-Od in the village. The artists were surprised when Gee expressed his desire to have their names tattooed around his arm.
They asked why he chose their names instead of traditional designs. Gee answered that he wanted it to be more unique and memorable, rather than having a design similar to thousands of people who have visited the village.
He added that he wanted something that he wouldn’t need to explain too much when somebody asked about his tattoo. It would bring back more memories than the details of the tattoo itself. And the names engraved on his skin will serve as a connection when he meets somebody who also got a tattoo from the same artist.
Three Dots
It was the second day of my stay in Buscalan Tattoo Village when I finally had a chance to meet Apo Whang-Od and get her 3 Dots tattoo. Getting a tattoo from her is quite challenging as you have to wait in line for hours due to the large number of tourists visiting her specifically for the 3 Dots tattoo. The night before, our organizer advised us to wake up at 4 AM to be first in line.
Apo Whang-Od is a living legend, already etched into history. Getting tattooed by her is a rare opportunity that one may only have while she’s alive. For many tourists, getting the 3 Dots tattoo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that fosters a deeper connection between the meaning they engrave with their tattoo and the cultural richness of Buscalan Tattoo Village.
I got mine tattooed on my right wrist, not for any deep reason, but so I can always see it, especially when I am typing with a keyboard. To me, having this opportunity to get tattooed by a living traditional tattoo legend is already meaningful as it is.
The feeling of Apo Whang-Od’s tattooing was different from my experience with Xyza. Her hammering was stronger, making the thorn pierce deeper into my skin. It was painful because the tattoo was placed on the side part of my wrist where the skin is thinner and the bone is closer. In the picture, you can clearly see the holes that the thorn left in my skin.
