history of philippine tattoos
Renowl
history of the country itself. There are literally hundreds of ethnic groups in
the Philippine island chain, each of which has their own language, tradition,
and history.
Back in the day, and to tell the truth it's probably still like this in some
remote areas of the Philippines, there were no electric tattoo guns available
to lay down tattoo designs. I know, hard to believe. Much like Borneo and other
parts of Micronesia and Polynesia, tattoos were applied by a sharpened bird
bone or a kind of 'comb' made of sea shells. A hammer or mallet was used to
strike these crude implements repeatedly and drive the natural ink (usually
made of pine and sugarcane juice) under the recipient's skin. Infection rates
were rather high, and in cases where the tattoos covered large areas of the
body, it was not uncommon to die while recovering from such extreme tattooing
sessions. In some cases, the process damaged internal organs, as the implements
were predictably imprecise.
Still, most everyone who underwent the painful procedure considered it an
honor, and worth the risk to life and limb. In many cases, the tattoos were
badges of honor, to be handed out after a brave deed or at reaching a
significant stage of life.
Kalinga tribesmanm Tulgao, Philippines, 1948.
Among those tribes in the Philippines who practiced tattooing, the most well
known are the Kalinga tribes of Northern Luzon. In days past, the Kalinga were
known as voracious headhunters and cannibals, who would carry out long standing
vendettas against rival tribes. Kalinga custom dictated that before a young
Kalinga could become a full-fledged warrior, he had to taste the blood of his
first victim. Not only did this cement his status as a Kalinga warrior, it also
granted him a long lifespan. Great celebrations were held after a successful
headhunting expedition, and those who passed their trials of manhood received
tribal tattoos to mark the occasion. Women were not left out of the deal,
either. In many cases, Filipino women were considered unwanted, or unattractive
unless they received elaborate tribal tattoos. Significant life events, such as
menstruation or childbirth, were also marked with a tattoo.
Kalinga woman with tribal tattooing, and a blunt.
It's pretty amazing, but these customs perpetuated well into the 20th century.
As the Philippines entered World War II, the Philippines became occupied by
various nations. The Japanese and Americans built airstrips all across the
Philippine countryside. The natives living in those areas, not realizing
exactly what the planes were, but subsisting to a great deal on the supplies
the foreigners brought into the country, began to regard them as supernatural.
After the war, many Filipino tribes kept the runways clear and built false
aircraft made of grass and timber, hoping to lure the silver birds back so they
might receive more of their supplies. In addition, many tribesmen were observed
to have tattooed themselves with American aircraft symbols and Japanese rising
sun imagery. In the 1930's and 1940's, the famous Filipino photographer Eduardo
Masferre (1909 - 1995) documented the daily lives of many of Luzon's indigenous
people. The images he captured are an amazing glimpse into the lives and
vanishing customs of these people.
Babayin tattoo, California.
Today, many second generation Filipino-Americans are re-discovering their
heritage and adorning their bodies with images to bring them closer to their
roots. A new trend among Fil-Am youth is to receive Baybayin (or Alibata as it
is more well known) tattoos. Baybayin is a curving script which was the
original written form of Tagalog before the Spanish occupied the Philippines.
Although primarily confined to the West Coast, Baybayin tattoos are becoming
quite popular among Filipino-Americans across the country.
The Philippines lays a small, though important claim to the wide field of
Tattoo. As the Filipino diaspora continues, tattoos serve as a wonderful method
of linking the sons and daughters of Filipino immigrants to their culture, and
to their past.
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