I heard about Whang-Od from the bohemian child who said that there is a trip to be ventured to the mountains of Kalinga, to meet this legendary woman before too late. At almost 100 years, she is the oldest living active tattoo maker in the customary Kalinga tribal practice.
Whang-Od has been widely covered since National Geographic first discovered her, and now featured in many a travel magazine, photographic and video documentaries, and not surprisingly, very much so in social media. Her home in the mountains has become a virtual mecca. Pilgrims, young and old alike, trek to her village at the bidding of self-appointed tour guides, forsake the dangers of the terrain, queue for days as necessary, and depart only when the venerable Whang-Od has made her mark on parts of themselves. Politicians have joined culture enthusiasts in clamouring for Whang-Od to be awarded national artist stature, as she carries the history of a thousand years, the experts claim.
Tattooing in the tradition of the Kalingas would in the past be understood as noble, the stripes earned only by homecoming warriors who have conquered in battle. Nowadays, Kalinga tattoo no longer carries with it the traditional badge of heroism. The times dictate that it become of economic currency. Whang-Od’s ink, though, may still be the mix of old, and the process just as raw. But the cultural adventurers from all over the world might still own a sense of victory, to meet the legend face to face, conquer the pain of her needling, with a little help from a whiff of grass perhaps, but yes, survive totell the indelible tale.
