The oldest “mambabatok” or hand-tap tattoo artist, Apo Whang-Od from a tribe in Kalinga was all smiles as she celebrated her birthday with celebrity power couple Aiza Seguerra and Liza Diño-Seguerra. Apo Whang-Od reportedly got sick earlier this month, but her condition has significantly improved.
The legendary tattoo artist has no official Certificate of Live Birth, but at around one hundred years old, she is believed to be the oldest living tattooist in the Philippines.
According to Liza’s post on Instagram, Apo Whang-Od refused to go to the hospital when she was sick. They brought her a nebulizer to help her get better.
Liza got her first ever tattoo during their trip. She shared the “excruciating pain” she went through on a video on Instagram.
“Literally, we trekked 2 mountains, crossed a river and walked through ravines barefoot just to get to her house. It was a long journey towards this unique experience of meeting the living legend mambabatok of the Kalinga people,” she narrated.
“I had no plans of getting a tattoo but after everything we went through, I just had to. No regrets though! It was like a badge of honor to see Apo Whang-Od’s art etched on my skin,” Liza said.
Liza’s partner Aiza Seguerra already got himself a tattoo from Apo Whang-Od in 2015.
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