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WHHO IS WHANG OD?

WHANG-OD OGGAY, ALSO KNOWN AS MARIA OGGAY

Known as a living legend in the realm of traditional art in the Philippines, Whang-od Oggay (Also known as Whang-od or Maria Oggay) from the tribe of Butbut in Buscalan, Kalinga is single-handedly keeping the tradition of Kalinga tattooing alive.

Often considered as the last mambabatok (a Kalinga tattoist), her work is highly sought after not only by locals, but as well as foreigners looking for a unique piece of art to be inscribed in their skin.

Whang-od began tattooing at the age of 15, learning the ancient art form from her father, who was regarded as a master tattooist in the area. Only men with unique tattooing ancestry were allowed to master the skill in the past. Whang-od was an outlier due to her father's recognition of her talent and potential.
Whang-od is claimed to be teaching the art of mambabatok to 20 young girls, as well as her grandnieces, so that the tradition and knowledge will not die with her and that her legacy will be passed down through her students and grandnieces.
She employs local ingredients in her tattoo ink, which is typically a mixture of charcoal and water tapped into the skin with a thorn from a calamansi or pomelo tree.
officially nominated for the 2020 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) or the National Living Treasures Award by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

THE ART OFF MAMBABATOK

whang od's life revolves around this traditional art. but what is it?

Known as Batok, Batik, Patik, among other names, are terms for indigenous tattoos made in the Philippine region.
In whang-od's case, her tattoos and the history behind it came from the kalinga region, specifically the butbut people.
originally, the traditional hand-tapped tattooing batok was done on male headhunters who earned the tattoos by protecting villages or killing enemies.
However, as headhunting was outlawed by the government, the art of batok can nowadays be seen in tourists, may it be locals or foreigners.
the art of batok is a complex process. The materials used consists mostly of charcoal and water, which are mixed and then tapped into the skin using citrus thorns and a small hammer to tap the tattooing needle.