Whang Od

Based in the Mountain Province in Buscalan, in the remote northern Cordillera Mountains and Ifugao highlands of the Philippines, lives the oldest known female tattooist, 96-year-old Whang Od. She belongs to a Kalinga headhunting tribe(butbut). To this clan of fierce Igorot warriors, an ancient history associated with themes of otherness and difference, as well as representations of beauty and powerful collectivity are an inherent part of contemporary traditions. The Kalinga’s commune with nature has created a life that integrates philosophical and geographical independence through creative, agricultural and educational sustainability.