Zeinab Harake gets tattoo from Apo Whang-Od. Here's how to get yours
Zeinab Harake just got a tattoo from the famed Apo Whang-Od on the mountain village of Buscalan in Kalinga.
In her YouTube vlog posted on Feb. 16, the content creator can be seen getting Whang-Od’s signature three-dot tattoo on her upper left arm. The three-dot tattoo symbolizes Whang-Od and her nieces Grace and Elyang.
“Matagal ko nang pangarap na makapagpatattoo sa kanya,” she said.
The 25-year-old on Instagram also posted some photos she had with the mambabatok.
Whang-Od is part of the Butbut tribe, which practices “batok” or tattooing by hitting/tapping the skin with a thorned bamboo stick. Mambabatok, then, is someone who hits/taps.
Mambabatoks are generally male, though Whang-Od broke gender norms by being one in her teenage years, as mentored by her father.
With her legacy, Whang-Od graced Vogue Magazine as the oldest cover star among its 27 global editions.
She’s reportedly the last remaining mambabatok of her generation, hence many individuals are hoping to get a tattoo from her.
Do you want to have the mambabatok experience? Here are a few things you should know.
Travel time
For those coming from Metro Manila, a trip to Buscalan lasts 12 to 14 hours. A private vehicle is the likely option for those who have the means.
There are also travel agencies that offer tour packages. The Facebook group “Tattooed by Whang-Od,” which has over 59,000 members, has people who are willing to assist interested parties.
Mina Lampitoc, a graphic designer who was tattooed by Apo Whang-Od in 2022, told PhilSTAR L!fe that a tour package worth two days and one night cost her P3,500, inclusive of food and lodging. The amount doesn't cover the tattoo yet.
Getting the tattoo
Whang-Od’s signature three-dot tattoo is worth P300 to date. One must also buy the thorned bamboo stick that would be used for the batok, which costs at least P100.
Other designs, meanwhile, are slightly higher and may reach over a thousand pesos depending on size and detail. Set designs are also available on-site.
Whang-Od, however, may not always be available to do the batok, and it’s her apprentices who would take charge.
Lampitoc said an appointment with Whang-Od isn’t needed. A “Tattooed by Whang-Od” member also attested to that, but warned about enduring long lines.
Is it painful or not?
While the pain threshold varies from person to person, Lampitoc said hers was bearable, noting that an electric tattoo machine may be more painful.
Even Harake noted in her vlog that the pain from the batok was "pleasurable."
"May sakit siya, pero kaya," she said while getting the tattoo. "'Yung sakit niya, masarap eh."
Lampitoc, who also got inked on her back, said the healing process took at least a week.