Apo Whang-Od also know as Maria Oggay, 106, is a tattoo artist from the Philippines who has been tattooing skin since she was 15 years old. Four days ago, Apo graced the cover of Vogue Philippines’ beauty issue, becoming the oldest person to feature on the magazine’s cover.
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Sharing the cover to her Instagram pages, Apo writes:
“Beauty embracing culture. Beauty transcending age. Beauty is not modern, it is timeless.”
Vogue also uploaded the cover to their Instagram page, sharing a snippet about their cover star:
“Apo Maria “Whang-Od” Oggay symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit. Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe—signifying strength, bravery, and beauty—on the skin of thousands of people who have made the pilgrimage to Buscalan.”
“When visitors come from far away,” Whang-Od says in the Butbut language, “I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see.”
Apo first began tattooing under her father’s mentorship when she was 15. Her father noticed potential in her abilities to wield the delicate tools of the practice. Apo then went on to becoming first and only female mambabatok (tattoo artist) in her village.
Apo usually tattoos sacred symbols on people who are about the cross an important threshold in their lives, or experience a major shift, like men becoming headhunters. Women are tattooed to promote fertility and beauty.
In another post sharing snaps from Apo’s cover shoot to Instagram, Vogue Philippines writes:
“True beauty goes beyond the surface—it pierces through. Apo Whang-Od’s life is inscribed in her skin, from accomplishments to ailments and names of long-gone lovers. It tells a story of bravery, beauty, and the rich heritage of the Kalinga tribe.”
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Whilst Apo’s earlier works did not bring her any income, an influx of tourists in her town has led her to earning at least 5,000 Php (R1 641) a day.
In another post teasing the interview with Apo, Vogue Philippines shared another picture with the artist alongside her great niece, captioned:
“A thousand-year-old practice in Buscalan called ‘batok’ will live on, as Apo Whang-Od passes her craft to her grand-niece Grace Palicas.”
Grace is 26 years old, and now fosters the same commitment to the craft as Apo always has.
“I was the first child to learn how to tattoo. I just observed what she did,” Grace, 26, tells Vogue Philippines.
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“The 106-year-old’s signature three dots representing herself, Grace, and Elyang—her second protégé—are also ellipses, signifying an open-endedness and a continuation that extends beyond its origins.”
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Feature Image: Instagram / @apowangod
