Tattoos are now trending among people of all ages. In the past, tattooing was practiced in several countries. Today, tattoo artists are the ones who paint beautiful pictures on the body without pain.
Just go to 103-year-old Wang Ode Ogi. She is the oldest traditional tattoo artist in the world. This Filipina has another specialty. Kalinga is the last link in the category of traditional tattoo artists. They are called mambab-atok. Many tourists still visit the village of Buscalan, a 15 – hour drive from North Manila. Wang Ode tattooed without any modern equipment. The tools of this tattoo artist are the thorn of a pomelo tree (a kind of apple), a one foot long bamboo stick, coal and water.
After dipping the thorn in the ink prepared with coal, it is pierced into the skin. The thorn is tapped with a bamboo stick to penetrate deeper. Everything Wong adds is a permanent tattoo. They make everything from small designs, to tribal prints, to animal figures that symbolize health and prosperity.
According to Kalinga custom, in the past, tattoos were given only to those who had killed someone and won the war. Now everyone has started getting tattoos. But Wang Ode does not teach anyone the tricks of tattooing alone. It is only handed down by tradition. Wang Ode has no children. Wang Ode teaches her siblings to keep this tradition alive.
‘All my tattooed friends are dead. I’m the only one left. My fear is that this will go away. ‘ Says Wang Ode. Wang Ode also has something to say about his longevity. ‘No outside food. Oily and preservatives are avoided. Vegetables and pulses are the main food. ‘
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