Nowadays, people get themselves tattooed for varied reasons. Some would get a tattoo to remember a loved one, some for religious reasons while some would just do it out of fun. But in Kalinga Province, getting a tattoo signifies beauty in women and bravery for men who get to wear one after they’ve killed infiltrators and protected their village.
A tattoo artist in her nineties and a Kalinga native was recently featured on the Cable News Network (CNN) website. She is Whang Od, the last and oldest Kalinga tattoo artist in the Philippines.
“She was in her old age but she does the tattooing perfectly. Her eyes are still sharp that she can draw a line and pierce my skin with the help of a thorn from a tree brilliantly. She knows where to put pressure so that I can feel less pain.” CNN reporter Sherbien said.
“I had my first tattoo from her. It was painful but worth it!” Sherbien shared upon getting his first tattoo. Through the manual use of tree thorns and charcoal, the reporter had a centipede tattoo that symbolizes “team work in the community and the head is me (Sherbien) as a leader.” —Report by Aliana Gimena
source: interaksyon.com
