Summary
Highlights
Before the Spanish arrived, ancient Filipinos, known as 'pintados,' were covered in tattoos symbolizing beauty and warrior culture. This tradition, called 'batok' in Luzon, gradually faded over time, except in a few remote areas like Kalinga.
Whang-od, from Tinglayan, Kalinga, is introduced as the last mambabatok. Her body is covered in tattoos she received since she was 15, carrying deep cultural meaning. For women, tattoos were once a symbol of beauty and a requirement for marriage.
Whang-od began tattooing at 18. Instead of needles, she uses pomelo tree thorns and a mixture of soot and water for ink. The process, demonstrated on Kanawo, is painful, involving repeated tapping to embed the ink into the skin. Whang-od dedicated her life to this art, never marrying, preserving the culture through her work.
For Kalinga men, tattoos symbolize bravery and courage. The documentary highlights Kalinga warriors like George, who defended their land against Japanese invaders through headhunting. Each tattoo represented a kill, serving as a medal of their valor. The 'asutuling' tattoo on the chest was reserved for true warriors, while women with no tattoos, called 'chinuyas,' were often viewed as having less honor.
Kara David gets a traditional Kalinga tattoo, enduring the pain to connect with the culture. She reflects on the deeper suffering endured by Kalinga women for their cultural identity. She notes that pain for culture or history becomes lighter, highlighting the immense sacrifice involved.
Despite not being colonized by foreign powers, Kalinga is increasingly influenced by modern times. Captain Rudy Oay, Whang-od's younger brother, does not have tattoos, expressing shame about them when traveling, seeing them as a barrier to being accepted in modern society. This shift in perception is attributed to the influence of Christianity and American education, which labeled tattoos as barbaric and uneducated.
While some like Nati embrace their tattooed heritage despite criticism, others hide their tattoos due to societal pressure. The tattoos, once symbols of strength and prestige, are now seen by some as a source of embarrassment. Whang-od's dream of continuing the tradition lies with her granddaughter, Grace, who finds interest in tattooing due to tourism, raising questions about the future preservation of this ancient art.
The documentary concludes by emphasizing that every tattoo on the Kalinga people's skin is a bridge to their past, a history they now contemplate cutting off. Kara David urges viewers not to discard or mock their origins, even in a modern world, as those who forget their identity are bound to get lost.