According to legend, Batok has been practiced for over a thousand years. Usually, when a woman reaches the appropriate age, she is allowed to wear tribal motifs to improve her appearance. This skill of beauty, however, isn't limited to only available to women. The mambabatok ritual is open to men who have proven themselves worthy enough to receive the beauty mark.
In the Kalinga region, Apo Whang-Od has been tattooing women and headhunters for more than seventy years. This elderly woman, who was born in 1918, is said to be the last remaining mambabatok. Her father taught her the old practice of tattooing the body with ink and thorns, and Whang-Od has tribal tattoos on her chest and arms. Whang-Od used to practice tattooing her pals, including herself, when she was younger. Her late father, on the other hand, had some tattoos on her body.
Apo Whang-Od dedicated her life to practicing batok after her husband died in a logging accident. The surviving mambabatok of Kalinga is still doing what she does best, almost reaching the centurion mark. Her days begin with a cup of coffee in the morning before heading outdoors to feed her chickens. Later, you'll see her tattooing locals, visitors, and even foreigners outside her home.
The tribal patterns of Whang-ancient Od's marks are Baybayin and tribal. Her tattoos, which include ferns, stars, steps, rice bundles, centipedes, and python scales, cover her arms, back, and chest, and most of them represent bravery and nature.
Reference:
WP Content. (2022, January 27). Retrieved from The Vale Magazine: https://i0.wp.com/thevalemagazine.com...
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