LOOK: Pinoy artist creates P5000 bill inspired by Kalinga tattoo artist Apo Whang-od Oggay

Photo Courtesy || Michael Angelo Sarate

Cordillera - Filipino Artist Michael Angelo Sarate reveals on social media his P5000 paper bill art creation that was inspired by the legendary Kalinga tattoo artist Apo Whang-od Oggay. 

Sarate highlighted Apo Whang-od's remarkable accomplishments and contributions in the field of art.

"Taking inspiration from the recent masterpiece of Fashion Designer Mark Bumgarner, Michelle Dee’s evening gown, at the Miss Universe 2023, here’s another tribute to “a legendary Filipina who has become an icon, preserving the rich cultural heritage of indigenous tattoo art.”", he wrote. 

The P5000 bill is in plain black color to denote the color of Whang-od's tribal tattoo ink which is made up of charcoal and water. 

The portrait of Apo Whang-od in the front of the bill is taken from Vogue Philippines' cover in the April 2023 issue. 

At the back of the bill is the photo of Padjao rice terraces located in Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga - the hometown of Whang-od. Buscalan became a popular tourist destination for adventurers and tattoo enthusiast coming from the different parts of the country and abroad. 

Along with the image of Buscalan, you can also see the Philippine serpent eagle (Spilornis holospilus) a kind of eagle endemic to the Philippines and can be found on most of the major islands of the country except Palawan.

Also visible in the design concept's back in the Apo Whang-od doing her art of tattooing and a tattoo pattern painted vertically on edge of the bill.

Michael Sarate is self-taught graphic designer and content creator promoting tourist destination based in Iloilo. 

He also created a Php2000 paper bill inspired by the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

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LOOK: Pinoy Artist transforms Apo Whang-od into a Stunning Young Lady

Photo Courtesy || Vogue and lowcostedit

Cordillera - In the vast world of art and technology, there are creators who can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary. 

One such artist is the Filipino digital wizard known as "lowcostedit" on TikTok and Facebook. 

His recent masterpiece has taken the internet by storm, as he ingeniously transformed the iconic 106-year-old Filipino tattooist, Apo Whang-od, into a stunning young woman, leaving everyone in awe.

With the perfect blend of artistic talent and cutting-edge technology, lowcostedit worked his magic on Whang-od's old-age photo, skillfully eliminating all signs of aging. 

Wrinkles vanished, blackheads disappeared, and her once-fading colors returned with vibrant life. The result was a breathtaking, youthful beauty that no one could have imagined.

Apo Whang-od, a living legend from Kalinga, is celebrated as the oldest traditional tattooist in the Philippines. 

Her expertise lies in the ancient art of 'batok,' a unique hand-tapping technique using lemon tree thorns and charcoal soot. 

Her fame reached new heights when she was featured in Vogue magazine, an American fashion and lifestyle publication.

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Legendary tattoo artist Apo Whang-od is recipient of the 1ST HIYAS AWARD for Indigenous Art

Photo Courtesy || Kalinga Tourism, Philippines

Cordillera - Philippines's oldest surviving traditional tattoo artist, Apo Whang-od from the Butbut tribe in Kalinga is one of the recipients of the 1st HIyas Award for Indigenous Art to be conferred by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) this September.

The Hiyas Award gives recognition to deserving individuals and/or organizations in Luzon who have exemplified commendable work and services in cultural and artistic endeavors, and have been in the forefront of the research, development, preservation, education and promotion of arts and culture in Luzon for at least fifteen (15) years or more. 

The general criteria indicate that an awardee must have made exceptional accomplishments in creative work, leadership, resource management, education, artist support, audience development, community service, solidarity and partnership.

Apo Whang-od, in a confirmation of acceptance letter extends her gratitude in behalf of the Kalinga people for being selected as one of the awardees.

The 101 year-old Apo Whang-od has been practicing the traditional tattooing method since she was 15. She was declared as a national artist in the Philippines.

In 2017, she was nominated for the National Living Treasures Award (Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan) and conferred the Bantayog Award.

source || Kalinga Tourism, Philippines

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Pinoy youngest traditional tattoo artist is a 13-year-old girl from Buscalan, Kalinga

Photo Courtesy || Carl Taawan

Cordillera - Did you know that the youngest traditional tattoo artist in the Philippines right now is a 13-year-old girl from Buscalan, Kalinga - the home of the legendary tattoo artist Apo Whang-od?

Princess Tacatac started learning the art of tattooing since she was 9 years old under the tutelage of the world-renowned traditional artist, Apo Whang-od. 

READ ALSO: iKalinga engineer part of NASA team setting up rocket launch site in Australia.

This week, Tacatac joined her fellow young tattoo artists who came from Buscalan, Kalinga to participate in a tattooing event held in Baguio City. 

These young iKalinga tattoo artists will be sharing their talent to anyone interested to be inked with the traditional tattoo designs of Kalinga as part of the celebration of the Indigenous People's Month.

READ ALSO: Kalinga Beauty crowned Miss Baguio City 2021

The art of tattooing called "Batok" in Kalinga uses indigenous materials like the ink, which is made from a mixture of charcoal and water. The Kalinga tattoo artists use thorn from a citrus tree attached to a bamboo stick.

Apo Whang-od was the first Kalinga tattoo artist who introduced this unique style of tattooing to the world. 

READ ALSO: Cadet from Kalinga graduates from the Royal Military College of Canada

Many tourists around the world travel and traverse a mountainous terrain to reach a remote village in Kalinga just to get a tattoo from Apo Whang-od.

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