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Kalinga: Tattooed on my Mind

Posted on February 24, 2012 by journeyingjames 51 Comments
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Hidden among the mountains of the Cordilleras is the province of Kalinga. Civilization here dates back centuries ago but its just 17 years old as it was part of a bigger province before- Kalinga-Apayao.

Its one province that would forever be etched on my mind as I experienced true hospitality and saw the living heritage it offers the world.

I would like to write more detailed articles about Kalinga, particularly where I stayed for 3 days and 2 nights- Buscalan, Tinglayan so I would be doing a photo essay for now.

 

10 Photos from Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga

 

Buscalan, Tinglayan Sunrise

Buscalan Sunrise

I waited for about 30 minutes when the sun finally turned the green mountain into gold. It lasted for only 10 minutes. Magical!

 

Aromatic Kalinga Coffee

Aromatic Kalinga Coffee

They peel the coffee beans then dry it under the sun. Aromatic Kalinga coffee. I miss their organic brew. I think I drink a total of 8 cups when I was there, and they don’t charge you for drinking coffee.

 

New Generation of Kalinga

New Generarion of Kalinga, from the Butbut tribe

These young kids gathered together beside the house where I am staying. Curious of me, maybe asking what I am doing in there place.

 

First day of Planting Season

First Day of Planting Season

If I arrived a day earlier, I would have stayed outside the community. Luckily, I arrived on the first day of planting season. I even tried planting rice the next day.

 

Fang-od Tattooing

Fang-od and Dr. Vene

The last Kalinga Tattoo artist- Fang-od/Fhang-od, 89, she carefully tattoos Dr. Vene of Ateneo with the ancient method she learned during her teen years. She was featured by Discovery Channel’s Tattoo Hunter by Lars Krutak

 

Disciplined pig

Disciplined pig

Pigs and chicken live together under the native Kalinga hut. This pig is disciplined because he ate a chick.

 

Head Axe

Head Axe

Kalinga tribes are known to be head hunters. This is a head-axe which according to the owner was inherited from his grandfather. I believe this head axe has beheaded many before.

 

Basketball

Basketball

The unofficial National Sports of Filipinos. They have a full basketball court there, half of it cemented while the other half as you can see is dirt ground.

 

Tattooed Kalinga Women

Tattooed Kalinga Women

The last generation of the tattooed Kalinga women. The tattoos they have are like ornaments that make them more attractive to their suitors.

 

Buscalan, Tinglayan Sunset

Buscalan Sunset

Fog begins to hide the mountains. I took this shot during my last night in the village. I wish to be back for more sunrise and sunset.

 

___ ___ ___

I consider my stay in Buscalan, Tingalayan in the province of Kalinga one of the highlights of my ISANG DAAN Journey . This happened during Days 14, 15 & 16 of #isangdaan.

#ISANGDAAN is a personal journey and challenge to backpack around the Philippines the cheapest way possible for 100 days. “Isang Daan” is a Filipino term that can mean either “one way” or “one hundred.”

If you want real time updates, you can check my facebook page: www.facebook.com/journeyingjames or follow me on twitter: @journeyingjames

If you want to follow my steps, I have an interactive map- ISANGDAAN Journey map.

 

Related Posts with Thumbnails
This entry was posted in 100 Days, Featured Posts and tagged 100 Days Challenge, Buscalan, Fang od, Kalinga, Kalinga tattoos, Tinglayan. Bookmark the permalink.

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51 thoughts on “Kalinga: Tattooed on my Mind”

  1. applethea said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 4:30 am

    wow beautiful pictures to capture a wonderful journey…
    i hope to those places too.
    all the best james

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:56 am

      indeed thea! grabe, i was speechless to be discovering this town.
      i actually needed to detach myself often to think about what i am witnessing.

  2. gringograss said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 4:41 am

    The tatts look astig! Masakit daw ba vs the machine? I’ve tried the thai traditional tattoo.. Didn’t hurt.

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:40 am

      pareho lang daw, medyo matagal lang sa kalinga kasi nga di-pukpok

  3. Earl said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 5:57 am

    Astig ang tattoo artist!

  4. mela said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 6:32 am

    napaka hopeful nmn nung tinglayan sunrise.. 🙂 two thumbs up to Maria Fang-od.. representing tough Filipino women..

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:36 am

      indeed! i really love the golden color. the small huts below are the granary

  5. lauvee said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 7:01 am

    WOW! (bow)…speechless :))

  6. Edmar | EDMARATION said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 7:14 am

    Ow… heart=warming. Gusto ko makita si Fang-Od in person. SAdly siya na ba talaga ang last? Such an amazing culture and tradition kaya lang parang weird na talaga kapag ang isang babae ngayon ay may ganyang tattoo. Tsk tsk tsk. SAna mapreserve pa rin. Ganda nito kuya James!

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:28 am

      she has a protege now, her 16-year old pamangkin.
      thanks edmar!

  7. chyng said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 8:37 am

    ang sakit ng old method, but im happy to see it was still being done.
    napanood ko sa tv (with kara david) meron ng mga dalaga na nagtatattoo the traditional way. madami daw kasing turista ang nagpupunta jan para sa mano-manong tattoo.

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:27 am

      di naman daw sabi nung mga nagpa-tattoo.
      medyo matagal nga lang daw yung procedure kasi nga its mano-mano

  8. jell said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 9:00 am

    hope next post would be ( how to get to Buscalan)
    will wait for that post ! 😀
    ingat!

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:24 am

      sige… will write something about that.

  9. kitot said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 10:40 am

    nagpatattoo ka din ba?

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:18 am

      di ko pa kaya! haha

  10. Claire @ lakwatsera de primera said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 11:20 am

    I’ve been wanting to meet Fang-Od after I’ve seen a documentary about Kalinga, lucky you got to see this ritual, hopefully she’s still there and still tattooing when I get the chance to visit the village.

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:14 am

      are you planning to get inked when you get there?

  11. Jade said:
    Reply
    February 24, 2012 at 3:22 pm

    Kudos James!

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      February 26, 2012 at 7:13 am

      thanks jade!

  12. Arisse said:
    Reply
    February 26, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    wow, ganda nmn ng sunrise…super like=)

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 1, 2012 at 2:44 pm

      thanks arisse! hmmm.. i wonder why almost everyone like that photo?

  13. batiriday said:
    Reply
    February 27, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    The first photo is so magical. Ang dami ko nang gustong puntahan na lugar, since I visited your blog.hehehe. Di ka ngpa tattoo?

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 1, 2012 at 2:37 pm

      really?
      not yet, not this time…

  14. Rica (sugarcanenomads) said:
    Reply
    February 28, 2012 at 4:18 am

    I’m planning to add a piece of art from the Kalinga women to my tattoo collection soon. But I will wait for your post about it first. I would like to make sure that I am indeed worthy to have one 🙂

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 1, 2012 at 2:36 pm

      go Rica! yes, i will post something about it.
      i know you will get one.

  15. tabianmuch said:
    Reply
    February 28, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    nakakainggit ang mga travels mo ser…and the tattoo artist is way too cool to pass, sana meron akong gawa nya 🙂

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 1, 2012 at 2:34 pm

      you can have your tats din there! hirap nga lang mag hike. thanks!

  16. riki said:
    Reply
    March 2, 2012 at 6:12 pm

    kapag nagpunta ako dito, i wont go home without even a small tattoo on my back.. as a souvenir.. to think na last generation na sila.. honor para saken na magpa tattoo sa kanya, and i will treasure that memory for life.. once in a lifetime kuya james.. cant wait hehe..

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 3, 2012 at 10:59 am

      i hope you get a tattoo from Fang-od soon!

  17. Josiah @ Lakas ng Trip said:
    Reply
    March 3, 2012 at 10:53 am

    I heard of Fang-od here in Palawan when I met a missionary in Kalinga who was having a vacation here. Based on his stories Kalinga is worth going to and staying.

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 3, 2012 at 10:58 am

      really? is she virgie?
      yes pre, i know you will love it there, bundukero ka e

  18. vene said:
    Reply
    March 6, 2012 at 7:53 am

    nice!

  19. pjong said:
    Reply
    March 28, 2012 at 11:03 am

    Lupit sir…

  20. pjong said:
    Reply
    March 28, 2012 at 11:04 am

    Hi James… How can I have a tattoo from her? tnx..

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      March 31, 2012 at 10:45 am

      wait for my post about it. just visit the site often 🙂

  21. irene lee said:
    Reply
    June 16, 2012 at 11:43 pm

    wow! our country really is awesome! im so happy she is still alive, i was hearing about her years ago and really wanted to see her and visit her, just i dont know where how. at least now, i have her name and place, thank u thank u so much po! just one last ? how many days u think it would require to finish a tattoo fromher?
    last na po talaga – does she design tattoo, u know based on some belief or something?
    thank u so much po again, more power!

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      June 18, 2012 at 3:49 am

      just 2hours for a small tattoo. she has the book where you can choose a tattoo that you want. you can also rea the meaning of the tattoos there. hope you get one form her irene

      • irene lee said:
        Reply
        June 23, 2012 at 4:24 pm

        yup, thanks a lot, kind a scared to have one, but i really wanted though, n i want my tattoo to b meaningful as well, thank u so much again. ill update when i have one already. thank u so mucg again, more power!

  22. Jedi said:
    Reply
    August 4, 2012 at 10:12 am

    I found the concept of the disciplined pig very amusing! (Oh yeah, why not. I haven’t thought about that) Can’t wait for your Kalinga story=). Still reading your Isangdaan journey bit by bit at off-duty days. Congratulations Kuya James!

  23. Inah said:
    Reply
    September 25, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    stumbled on your blog while searching for a photo of fang-od:)
    what a wonderful way to discover the country. and this one in particular is death by inggit. haha

    PS My friend visited the place a a couple of months ago and got himself inked by Fang-Od. 😀

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      October 2, 2012 at 11:34 am

      that is cool! when i get back, i want to get inked too

  24. ace villanueva said:
    Reply
    October 6, 2012 at 2:27 am

    pwede po malaman kung paano po makapunta sa buscalan cause am planning po pumunta po for documentation po kung they still name their children hango sa kanilang mga ninuno.

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      October 6, 2012 at 3:03 pm

      the names of their children nowadays are common names we use

  25. vic manato said:
    Reply
    December 31, 2012 at 4:53 am

    James, it’s in the Cordillera mountain range not Sierra Madre 🙂

    • journeyingjames said:
      Reply
      January 1, 2013 at 3:45 am

      ohhh! yep, you are right! i must have mixed up the two, haha
      edited it already! thanks for the correction sir!

  26. girlie said:
    Reply
    February 4, 2013 at 7:40 am

    Pano po kayo pumunta dun sa tribo galing sa Tinglayan? may guide po ba kayo?

  27. Emil said:
    Reply
    June 22, 2013 at 1:22 am

    nice blog, sir pwedeng malaman kung magkano ung cost ng travel mo to sagada included na lahat.. and kung magkano ung bayad for the ink from fang-od? maraming salamat

  28. Emil said:
    Reply
    June 22, 2013 at 1:23 am

    may contact ka ba sir or guide n pede namin macontact din ?

    • Pike Soria said:
      Reply
      March 25, 2014 at 9:37 pm

      Pike Soria
      Bontoc and Buscalan Traditional Tattoo Artist Guide
      Ariadne766@yahoo.com
      09104257504

  29. gfas on instagram said:
    Reply
    March 25, 2015 at 11:48 am

    There’s an exhibit plus a book by Jake Verzosa that features the last tattooed women of Kalinga. Will go see the exhibit this Sunday. I’m pretty sure the women you’ve met in your travel are the same ones in the coffee book.

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