Required Cookies & Technologies. There are no hostels nor guesthouses in Buscalan and the only accommodation they can offer is a homestay. Apo stopped tattoing at almost 6:00pm (it was summer so sunset was late). The jeepney took us as far as possible before the road dwindled to nothing and we got out to continue on foot. There were three of us by the way. Whang-Od is a mambabatok of the But-But tribe.Batok is the term for the technique she uses where the ink, made of a mixture of soot and water, is embedded into the skin by a pomelo thorn (which serves … I could think of no better way to pay homage to this incredible woman and to travelling, adventure even, itself than to get a traditional tattoo… this was an idea I had been knocking around for years and, as I watched the tattoo take over my arm, I knew I had made the right decision. IV. Villagers say you can get a phone signal if you’re using an old model phone and when you hang it outside the window. It was passed on to her by her father who taught her the way of traditional tattooing. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The tattoo artist’s relatives said that Whang-od could earn as much as P5,000 a day given the stream of tourists. Below are the steps being done to get your batok. Practicalities of visiting Whang Od – July 2016 Update, Pot Pot’s walkthrough over at Travel Trilogy. I strongly recommend that you bring Whang Od some gifts, we bought her some basic food stuff – soft bread (she doesn’t have that many teeth left!) This website uses cookies to improve your experience. A. Or get 4-5 business-day shipping on this item for $5.99 . After I published my story about Getting Inked by Whang Od a couple of years ago, I’ve received numerous e-mails and private messages from people from around the world asking for more information about Buscalan and the famous tattoo artist, Apo Whang Od. The tattoos will come afterwards starting at a price of 500 Philippine pesos. In their culture, having a "batuk" or a traditional tattoo is a symbol of beauty or bravery. Legendary tattoo master Whang-Od was transported from her tribal village of Buscalan to the capital for the Manila FAME trade show, with the help of the Philippine Army and Air Force. I have decided that henceforth when I discover a hidden gem such as this I will not be blogging about it. Mambabatok refers to the people who practice the art of traditional tattoo … It can be bought in Buscalan, just ask your guide to buy one for you. He urged me to climb atop yet another jeepney and with a belch of exhaust fumes we left Bontoc behind us. 1. Whang-od’s first tattoo, she recalls, was a ladder and a python, designs that have no meanings at all and permanently inked on her skin so that she could “belong to the group.” While the Kalinga tattoos have lost some of its ancient qualities over the years, the materials used by Whang-od have remained the same. MANILA -- Ninety-six-year old Apo Whang-od is the oldest "mambabatok" in Tinglayan, Kalinga province. 425 reviews. As for the wet wipes, make sure to make every ply accessible to Apo so she will use it to wipe the ink and blood from your skin. Don’t expect her to open the wet wipes and pull each ply as she’s very focused and busy on your tattoo, tendency is, she’ll just use the easily available wet wipes near her. A month later, Apo Whang Od’s tattoo … Be sure to check out the villager’s awesome bamboo smoking pipes… They are an excellent way to keep yourself entertained in the evening and to help support crafts in the village. 3. 7. Meet your tour guide at the turning point in Tinglayan and start your trek to the village of Buscalan. You only need the guide for the first day; make it clear that you don’t want to pay the guide fee after the first day. Whang Od Tattoo Designs. Apo Whang Od is probably one of the most revered Filipinas of our generation. Ask your tour guide to ask if how much is the price of your tattoo and…PICTURE! Just make the wet wipes ply available on her sight, don’t push her to get it. I guess this also depends on the pain tolerance of a person because others say otherwise. She is often … There’s no off-peak season for Apo Whang-od. Pot Pot eventually arrived, apologising again and again for keeping me late. However, instead of giving them candies (bad for their teeth), go for breads, fruits or even toys and school supplies if you can. She was sprightly, humorous even, and smiled from beneath a heavy black hoodie – the kind of thing a teenager might wear. She then passed it on to her grandniece, Grace Palicas, who has been to Dutdutan, the country’s biggest and grandest tattoo … Whack, whack, whack. 4. (Source: Wikipedia) Of course, who ever got a tattoo, will get a photo opp with Whang-Od too! Expect to live under one roof with a local family. Again, it depends on how big the design is and if how easy your skin can absorb the pine tree soot (ink). I had caved, swam, climbed and trekked to my heart’s content. Whang Od is a ninety nine year old lady and a living legend; she is not a tourist prop and does not appreciate having cameras in her face. More information. 6. But hey, even though it’s just 3 dots, it still eats a lot of time especially if many people are lined up for her signature. Starting price is usually Php300-Php500 and up. PICTURE with Apo! So, please, pretty please, if you really want to get tattooed by Apo Whang-od, I hope you stay at least 2-3 nights in Buscalan just to be fair to other people who have waited long (did not make singit) for Apo. When a helicopter brought tattoo artist Whang-ud from her home village in remote Buscalan in Tinglayan, Kalinga province, to Manila for a two-day trade event, people cried “exploitation!” She was already back at her house when we were done with the tattoos from all 3 of them. Apo(a word to show respect) Whang-od does NOT do full tattoos anymore because she is 101 years old and her eyesight isn’t up to it anymore. It was still sore and delicate to the touch. Ride a Victory Liner bus from Kamias station to Tabuk. It was July 2015, when my friends and I decided to head to Buscalan, Kalinga to meet with the renowned traditional tattoo artist from the Butbut tribe, Whang-Od. Tattoo is now appreciated by many because of the different perspective used by media and netizens. bacolod11 . From Bontoc, you can catch a daily jeepney from outside ‘Dereyk’s Restaurant’, just up from the police station, that costs 150 pesos, and will take you to the turning point near Buscalan. So even if you get your tattoo done by Grace or Elyang, you will have to go find Apo & show your tattoo to her for pricing. First to Review. Bring something for the kids. These are a coconut bowl where water, charcoal, and sweet potato are combined to produce the tribal tattoo … 1. A small framed 95 years old woman with shy eyes and I can see that she has that colorful vibrant personality too. V. Apo Whang-od applies virgin coconut oil on your tattoo and that’s it. The uphill and downhill climb to the small barangay of the Butbut Kalinga tribe will take an average of 1-1.5 hours depending on one’s pace. I had been conformable travelling in Sagada, happy to be in a small mountain town with a cool climate and numerous hike. Details about PHILIPPINES - KALINGA TATTOO LADY - WHANG OD - ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR PAINTING. I arrived at the village without warning, one minute I was still on the lonely path, the next moment, I burst from the jungle and was standing next to a wooden shack with a tin roof. There are lots of tattoo aftercare suggestions on the group “Tattooed by Apo Whang-od” that it’s actually confusing already. Whang Od at home. Support the site and learn how to travel the world on $10 a day. The biggest problem currently faced by the village is tourists littering – there is no waste management in Buscalan so please do your bit; do not litter and carry all of your trash out with you when you leave. 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