Who Is Whang-od? Age, Biography, and Wiki
As of 2025, Whang-Od is 108 years old, making her one of the oldest living practitioners of traditional tattooing. Born in the remote village of Buscalan in Kalinga province, she has dedicated her life to her craft. Whang-Od's artistry revolves around the age-old practice of batok, which involves hand-tapping ink into the skin using a bamboo stick and thorn from a pomelo tree. Over the years, she has become a living repository of Philippine heritage, with many visiting her home for a tattoo and a glimpse of her remarkable story.
| Occupation | Tattoo Artist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 17, 1917 |
| Age | 108 Years |
| Birth Place | Tinglayan, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Philippine Islands |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country |
Popularity
Whang-od's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While Whang-Od is not known for her public persona in terms of height and weight, she boasts a petite stature commonly associated with her heritage. Speculations suggest she stands around 4 feet 11 inches tall, and her weight is estimated to be around 90 pounds. Her physical appearance reflects her deep commitment to traditional ways and her active lifestyle in the mountains of Kalinga.
She was first tattooed as a teenager with the designs consisting of a ladder and a python. The python tattoo was especially important in her people's sacred stories. According to their indigenous religion, the python scale tattoo was first given to Lagkunawa, a beautiful noblewoman from the village of Tinglayan (Whang-od's home village).
It was a gift from the hero-god Banna, who fell in love with the mortal. Ever since, the tattoo was passed on through the generations. Fatok is the term used for tattooing women to show beauty and wealth.
When a woman's arm is tattooed just like Whang-od's own tattoos, the family of the woman is obliged to pay the tattoo artist a piglet or a bundle of harvested rice (locally called as dalan). On the other hand, fi-ing is the term used for tattooing of male Butbut warriors on their chests and arms.
Whang-od used to practice fi-ing until headhunting was discouraged by the government. Fi-ing was last practiced in 1972.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Whang-Od was copiously loved in her youth and had a romantic partner named Oggay, who passed away in 1999. They never married, but their mutual passion for the art and culture was evident. As of 2025, Whang-Od's focus remains on her family and her art, with her grandniece, Grace Palicas, poised to inherit her legacy, allowing the art of batok tattoos to continue thriving.
Whang-od started tattooing at the age of 15, a traditional artform that she learned from her father who was considered a master tattooist in the region. Traditionally, only men with special tattooing ancestry were allowed to learn the art. Whang-od was an exception due to her talent and potential seen by her father.
In later life, Whang-od's chosen apprentices consisted of only women, breaking the patrimonial tradition for the first time in recorded Kalinga history. Despite breaking tradition, her community accepted her decision.
She has been doing the batok, the traditional hand-tapped tattooing, on male headhunters who earned the tattoos by protecting villages or killing enemies. She also tattoos women of the Butbut people in Buscalan, Kalinga, primarily for aesthetic purposes.
As a traditional Kalinga tattooist or mambabatok, she has done fortune telling and chants while doing tattoos. Every design she creates contains symbolic meanings specific to the mambabatok culture. For example, a warrior who had killed an enemy would be given an eagle tattoo upon his return from battle.
Net Worth and Salary
Determining Whang-Od's net worth is challenging due to her humble lifestyle in Buscalan. However, estimates for her worth in 2025 have reached approximately $200,000, a significant amount for her remote village. Her income primarily comes from tattooing, workshops, and her newfound fame brought by numerous media features and documentaries highlighting her life and craft. The tattoos she offers can range from $50 to over $300, depending on the complexity and size.
Her early tattoo works did not earn her any income but due to the influx of tourists in her town, she was earning at least Php 5,000 a day for her tattooing in 2015. She accepts around twenty to thirty customers every day. She only does simple tattoos nowadays due to her advanced age. Her apprentices, all women, have continued the tradition for her and their people.
Career, Business, and Investments
Whang-Od's career spans over eight decades, during which she has tattooed countless individuals. Her commitment to preserving traditional Kalinga tattoo art has not only earned her accolades but has also sparked a resurgence of interest in indigenous Filipino culture. In recent years, she has expanded her reach through collaborations with international media, leading to her work being featured in documentaries, art exhibitions, and interviews. Whang-Od is also focused on mentoring younger artists like Grace, ensuring that the techniques and stories behind batok tattoos are preserved for generations.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) conferred on Whang-od the prestigious Dangal ng Haraya Award at Tabuk, the capital of Whang-od's ethnic province of Kalinga, in 2018. She was nominated for the National Living Treasures Award (Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan) in 2017. Her nomination is still being processed by the NCCA.
Social Network
In terms of social media presence, Whang-Od has gained a significant following, especially among tattoo enthusiasts and cultural preservationists. While she may not personally manage any social media accounts, various pages dedicated to her work thrive on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, showcasing her tattoos and lifestyle in Buscalan. The interest in her work has also led to discussions around indigenous rights and culture, further amplifying her reach.
Due to Whang-od's status as the last mambabatok of her generation, her role in bringing awareness to a form of traditional tattooing and training several practitioners, many netizens were lobbying her to be one of the National Artists of the Philippines.
the hashtag campaign (#WangOdNationalArtist) started in September 2015 and the hashtag was shared through social media about 11 thousand times after almost a month. Some netizens were campaigning for her to be given the National Living Treasures Award instead.
Education
Whang-Od's education has been informal; she learned the art of tattooing from her father at a young age, alongside the cultural traditions of her people. Her skills were honed through practice and observation within her tribe rather than through a formal schooling system. In 2025, she continues to engage in educating visitors and young artists about the significance and methods behind her tattooing techniques.
In conclusion, Whang-Od remains a living legend, a testament to cultural resilience, and a beacon for the preservation of traditional arts in the modern world. As she continues to share her art and stories, her legacy will undoubtedly inspire generations to come.
Former National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA) chair Felipe de Leon Jr. also expressed his support for Whang-od's nomination and argued that the role of a mambabatok is to become the beacon of togetherness and support of the community.
He also added that she aids her community through tattooing tourists and she is practicing traditional Kalinga art form as means of living and therefore should be eligible for both the National Living Treasure Award and the National Artists Award.
Filipino anthropologist and University of the Philippines Baguio professor Analyn Salvado-Amores said that though she has no objections on Whang-od's nomination to the GAMABA, Whang-od might not get conferred because she earns from tattooing and one of the requirement for a GAMABA award is to practice the craft without making any profit from it.
However, if the raised issue would hinder her declaration as National Living Treasure, then she may still be nominated for the National Artist Award, which is same in rank to the National Living Treasure Award.
