MANGWHAWHATO OF THE CORDILLERA (Traditional Tattooing)
A new generation of mambabatok (traditional tattoo artists) shows and shares their culture and unique art form on February 15 & 16, 2025 at the SM City Baguio Lower Ground.
Georgia Leigh Baydon, Ammin Acha-Ur, Shaddy, and Den Wigan are apprentices of Whang-od Oggay, a traditional Filipino tattoo artist.
This younger generation of mambabatok from the Cordillera -from Buscalan, Ngibat, and Loccong Butbut Kalinga, is continuing and preserving the unique art form of Whato’
Mallgoers witnessed and also tried the tattoo artist of the legendary Mambabatok from Kalinga—Mangwhawhato’ of the Cordillera—as they keep the sacred tradition of hand-tapped tattoos alive.
A mambabatok is a master tattooist in the Filipino tradition of hand-tapped tattoos, also known as batok. The word “mambabatok” comes from the root word “batok”, which means “to hit” or “to tap”. (Photos by: Mario Oclaman //FNS)
