Lars Krutak: Last News

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The global impact of traditional tattooing and the need to end its stigma is explored in upcoming feature-documentary “Treasure of the Rice Terraces,” directed by Filipino-Canadian Kent Donguines. The film sees Donguines embark on a journey of self-discovery and record the oral history recounted by 106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od, who was recently an unlikely cover star of Vogue Philippines. The film explores how the old practises in the Kalinga region, once banned and despised in Philippine society, have now evolved into a chic and in-demand type of body art that has become a source of pride and belonging for many Filipinos. It also delves into the issues of stolen mummified bodies, cultural appropriation, stigmatization, and discrimination faced by tattooed individuals.

tattoo artist alive – and she shows no signs of slowing down.Whang-od Oggay, from the Philippines, is the only remaining traditional Kalinga tattooist, which is also known as mambabatok.When tattooing in the style of the traditional practice, one must apply permanent hand-tapped tattoos – using a concoction made from pine soot and water.READ MORE: World's most pierced person with 11,003 studs 'struggled to pay bills' after losing workThe tools that are used are simple: a bamboo stick, a thorn from the pomelo tree, water and coal. Using the bamboo stick, Whang-od gently taps the ink-laden thorn deep into the skin.Whang-od resides in Buscalan which has a population of 742 people and tourists regularly make the 15-hour long journey to see her.Buscalan, in the Kalinga province north of the Philippine capital of Manila, is a mountain village that is a mile hike from the nearest dirt road.Whang-od rose to notoriety when an American anthropologist – Dr Lars Krutak – included her in his 2009 documentary series Tattoo Hunter.Now tourism in Kalinga Province has increased from approximately 30,000 in 2010 to almost 170,000 in 2016, with the majority of people coming to see Whang-od.They have to take a number and wait with the hope that they will be tattooed by her.