TATTOO PROCESS

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Tattoo
Wednesday, 07th February
JULIE TOLENTINO: WHANG OD'S TATTOO PROCESS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIE TOLENTINO

What preparations did Whang Od take before beginning the tattoo process?
To prepare, Whang Od scrapes the uling (charcoal) that collects on the rice pot as it cooks over the fire. The consistency of the ink, made of the uling combined with local fresh water, forms a paste, the ink that is called merteka. The merteka is fine-tuned by kneading with Whang Od’s fingertips. Using dry straw, she lays out the template for the design, bending the full length of the stalk, dipping them into the hand-made pigment, creating a stencil of the tattoo. She plucks two thick thorns from a pomelo tree, a kind of hybrid citrus that resembles a large lime, an orange and a small grapefruit, that will perform as the “needle”. She tested their sharpness on her own ankle to begin. Whang Od works in the shade at the front entrance to her home. Her worktable is a well-worn tree stump – also used as a stepping stool. In recent years, Whang Od has had trouble with eyestrain. She carries a small hand mirror in her pocket at all times, checking on her eyes, while also sensitive to available sunlight to time the tattooing session.

Whang Od insists that we rest well the night before we are scheduled to be tattooed. She also requires that our hair be covered during the session. Whang Od had a wicked cough the evening prior to our tattoo day, so I massaged her, offering supportive acupoints to her tiny, strong body.

We brought our own antibacterial wipes and antiseptics keeping an eye on the surrounds. In the morning after a strong cup of the famous Kalinga coffee we prepared the outdoors where we would sit for the next three hours immersed in the tattoo tapping, alongside a dozen-plus, just-born, just-fed sleeping piglets, three adult pigs and a stream of villagers and their children – as well as the sacrificial chicken in close quarters. Gannao, Whang Od’s oldest and also tattooed sister sat vigil. Chatting, chewing betel leaves that resulted in distinct orange-stained teeth and a deep raspy voice, she sang impromptu songs to accompany and encourage us.

August 2012