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Fang-Od, The Culture Bearer

PHILIPPINES | Friday, 21 November 2014 | Views [625] | View Larger Image

Fang-Od shows her tattoo that was given to her when she was young. Some say it was her father who tattooed her, while others say it was given by another Kalinga tattoo artist. She has become a culture bearer. Her inked skin is a living artifact that speaks stories of her tribe’s culture and history.

In Kalinga, people take pride in their tattoos. Kalinga male warriors who triumphed in battle and brought home the heads of their fallen opponents receive tattoos from the mambabatok (tattoo artist) as a symbol of honor, while tattoos given to the women are aesthetic in nature. Scholars believe that this tradition was practiced for centuries, but over the years, the tribal wars gradually ceased and tattooing headhunters discontinued. Fang-Od makes a living by giving tattoos to travelers from all over the world who seek their dying craft.

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Fang-Od lets customers stay as guests in her home. I found this wall inside her house where she pinned all of her photographs, including the ones sent by her former traveler customers as gestures of gratitude for their tattoos.

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Fang-Od, The Culture Bearer

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