Apo Whang-Od is considered the world’s last Mambabatok (hand-tap tattoo artist) from her generation. At the estimated age of 99, she is now passing the tattooing tradition to a new generation in her tribe including her grand-niece Grace.
The tradition of this style of tattoo started as a symbol of pride for warriors and a marking of beauty for females in the Butbut tribe and has now taken a unique turn in their village, Kalinga, situated remotely in the mountains of the Luzon province in The Philippines.