The 105-year-old artisan still attracts adventurous visitors to get tattooed, despite the pain

Tattoo artist Kalinga Apo Whang-Od celebrated her 105th birthday in February of this year. That's an impressive number for a person's lifespan, but this old lady is not famous for her age, she is known as the oldest traditional tattoo artist or "mambabatok", in the Philippines.

Primarily known as a warrior tribe

the Kalinga people throughout history have custom baseball jersey fought and defended their communities. To celebrate their victory, they made special marks on their bodies in different patterns. And so, the tattoo became a symbol of courage. For men, it is a sign of bravery; For women, it is a symbol of beauty and strength.

With the skillful hands of an ancient tradition, she is the representative of the tattoo custom of the Kalinga tribe, Philippines.

Whang-Od started learning tattooing at the age of 15 after being trained by his father, an expert in the field. Only men with tattooed ancestors are allowed to learn this special profession in the Kalinga culture. Whang-Od was an exception, her potential was soon recognized by the father and decided to pass the profession on to his daughter.

In his youth

Whang-Od had a boyfriend. They love each other passionately but storms come when this person dies in a war. After the death of her lover, she did not seek refuge in another man but instead devoted the rest of her life to the traditional arts of the tribe.

The ink percussion instrument that she uses is made from bamboo, while the needle is the thorn of a lemon tree. Charcoal and soot are mixed to form ink, which is then imprinted onto the body by piercing the skin.

The tattooing process is lengthy

painful, and carries a risk of infection. In the Kalinga community, tattooing is a serious and highly skilled business.

Tattooing has become a strong tourist attraction, with both Whang-Od and her apprentices becoming the main earners of their villages. Their art has helped create much-needed capital for the locals, who are now completely dependent on tourism.

Some even claim that Whang-Od has tattoo shirt marked Kalinga on the map of must-see destinations in the Philippines for both locals and expats. Many people have ventured into the cold weather and 10 hours of driving to the highlands simply to get her tattooed.

Her biggest wish is that this tattoo art will still be handed down in the future.

She trained her nieces

Grace and Elyang, in tattooing techniques. Elyang trained when she was 16 and Grace started when she was 10. Whang-Od believes it would be very sad if the traditional profession of tattooing disappears upon her death, so she will pass on the knowledge she has to preserve this unique art.