Apo Whang-Od Makes History as Oldest Woman on Vogue Cover
106-year-old indigenous Filipino tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od is now the oldest woman to appear on the cover of Vogue Philippines.
While Whang-Od is the oldest woman on a Vogue cover, she is also one of the only featured indigenous women. After centuries of suppressing the batok art form, indigenous Filipino tattoos are finally being celebrated.
According to the Vogue article, Whang-Od exists as the last mambabatok of her generation. She practices batok, a traditional Filipino tattoo art form. She began hand-poking tattoos at the age of 15 and continues to do so in the Buscalan village in the Philippines. These tattoos carry immense traditional significance. Older Kalinga women believe that treasures cannot be carried into the afterlife, but bodily markings can.
Although the practice was traditionally reserved for men, Whang-Od became the first female to learn the art form. As the magazine described in an Instagram post, she “symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit.”
Although she works in her old age, she promises that she won’t stop tattooing until she goes blind. That way, she “can continue to give people the mark of Buscalan.” Her dedication to her craft remains unmatched.
Not long ago, she was thought of as the “last remaining” mambabatok in the world. However, she currently has several apprentices, all of which are female. Helping to keep the tradition alive alongside her apprentices is the love she has received from news outlets and celebrities alike. According to another Vogue article, Whang-Od has been supported online by the likes of Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid, and fellow Filipino Bretman Rock. “Now THIS is beauty,” tweeted Halle Berry in response to news of the Vogue cover.
Now THIS is beauty 🙏🏽 https://t.co/WOuHe1s1PH
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) April 3, 2023
According to a CNN article, the Vogue Philippines staff unanimously voted in favor of Whang-Od taking the cover feature. They cited a need for “inclusive” and “diverse” faces in beauty. Fortunately, the artist’s influence has picked up in recent years after being featured on the series Tattoo Hunter. Now, she attracts Filipinos and foreigners alike, who eagerly make the difficult trek to the Buscalan village for her tattoos. In traditional Butbut language, she tells Vogue, “When visitors come from far away, I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see.”
To read more about Apo Whang-Od, fans can read the Vogue cover article or buy the April 2023 issue of Vogue Philippines.
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