Tattooing in the Cordilleras

The art of tattooing can be traced from the earliest civilizations. The oldest civilizations known to man had their own tradition of tattooing and there are lots of materials to prove this.

Our ancestors used natural tints and inks from the nature to paint their bodies with something that is relevant or symbolic to them. There were civilizations that used tattoo to show one's status in the community. This is exactly the case in many ethnic groups in the Philippines.

The Cordilleras, a region located in the mountainous area in Northern Philippines, is among the groups that have a very rich culture, one of which is the traditional tattooing.

In Cordillera, tattoo was a status symbol. Elaborate tattoo designs were only given upon the warriors and the Kadangyans (wealthy families).  The tattoo designs reflect their society and their beliefs.

Tattooing used to be done traditionally by genuine Cordillera tattoo artists using simple tools, not machines. The process is a lot more painful and bloody than the modern way of getting a tattoo.

However, the art of traditional tattooing in Cordillera is slowly dying since the traditional tattoo artists left are already old and most of the young Cordillerans show no interest in learning the traditional art of tattoo in the region. The younger generations of Cordillerans also refuse to get traditional tattoos to continue the heritage.

In general though, most Filipino tattoo artists claim that the art of getting inked is just starting to grow in the country in the sense that modern tattoos have become the extension of traditional Filipino tattoos. This is so because tattoo is now perceived as meaningful markings rather than as senseless symbols painted into the bodies of ex-convicts and criminals like it used to be.

But with the popularity comes another issue. While most people get tattoos that have special meaning for them, there are those who get inked just to have one because it look 'cool.'

The skin art may have different meanings in different cultures then and today, but the art of tattooing definitely is something that reflects how rich these cultures are. Indeed traditional tattooing is one of the most prized cultural heritage, not only of the Cordillerans but the Filipino people as a whole.

Photo credits: http://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/my_sarisari_store/kalinga-tribal-tattoos/

For more interesting reads about Cordillera Tattoos:http://creativeroots.org/2011/11/the-last-tattooed-women-of-kalinga/