Body Modification: Tattooing in Northern Philippines
For our #MuseumFromHome series on body modifications practiced by early Philippine communities this #NationalWomensMonth2022, the #NationalMuseumPH highlights the tradition of tattooing in the Philippines. Let’s take a look into some of its significance in northern Philippines!
Different forms of body modification were practiced in the country since pre-Spanish times, among these is tattooing. In the north, the Kalinga are known for their tattooing tradition. Locally referred to as fatok/batok or fatek/batek, tattooing is performed by a manbatek. The manbatek inscribes the fatek to men and women who are considered mature enough to have it.
Kalinga tattoo is often correlated with warfare. According to a few studies by Dr. Analyn “Ikin” V. Salvador-Amores, men in the early times participated in a kayaw or headhunt as an offensive activity against a rival group. Taking someone’s head was a way of proving oneself as worthy of becoming a member of the kamaranan, a dominant warrior class. It also showed the warrior’s masculinity that secured him a chance to be with the woman he desires. This victory was recorded with ink on the warrior’s skin, with the amount of tattoo directly proportional to the number of people the warrior had slain. Some of the tattoos, which were worn as badges of honor, are the binulibud (3 parallel lines from the forearm to biceps/ triceps), bikking (chest tattoo), gulot or pinupungol (stripe patterns like a tie band acquired by warrior after his first killing), dakag (back tattoo), gayaman nan banas (centipede-eating lizard) on the back of hand, ax symbol, bituwon (star) and sorag (moon) being considered as sources of light during night vigils before village raid, and the snake-like symbol that serves as protection.
Fatek, on the other hand, symbolized fertility among women and connotes her eligibility for marriage. They were tattooed on the forearms, upper arms, and shoulder blades with centipede designs locally referred to as nirafarafat or inufu-ufug. Some women were marked with the sinokray (necklace or sleeve tattoos).
Tattoos were equivalent to beauty or attractiveness as well as strength or masculinity. Anyone without it was considered weak and presented a bad omen to the community. The presence of a tattooed warrior also provided the community members with a sense of security, as the said warriors were regarded as very strong and brave.
At present, having a tattoo among members of the Kalinga community is not strictly observed. There has been an appreciation of the practice among non-Kalinga in the past years and one of the Kalinga tattoo artists, Apo Whang-od, was awarded in 2018 with Dangal ng Haraya by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
#Batok
#TattooInThePhilippines
#MuseumFromHome
Text and poster by the NMP Ethnology Division
© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines
