Apol Danganan ventured deep into the mountains of Luzon to meet Fang Od, one of the last traditional tattoo artists in the world.

Vagabond Journey’s Apol Danganan traveled to the village of Buscalan, in the mountains of Luzon in the far north of the Philippines, to meet the famed traditional Kalinga tattooist, Fang Od. As Apol discovered, at 93 years old Fang Od is still lively and active, taking care of her farm and tattooing visitors. It has been reported that Fang Od would be the last of a long line of Kalinga tattooists and the practice would disappear, but Apol discovered that she taught the art to her granddaughter, and the tradition continues into another generation.
The video below shows Apol and her husband being tattooed with Kalinga designs by Fang Od. It documents a truly ancient tradition that is still being practiced today as it has been for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
More about Fang Od, Kalinga tattooing, and Buscalan
Fang Od and the Traditional Art of Kalinga Tattoo – Vagabond Journey
Tattooed by Fang Od – Wanderful Together, Apol’s blog
Things to Know Before Going to Buscalan to Meet Fang Od – Wanderful Together
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About the Author: VBJ
I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 93 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. VBJ has written 3728 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.
VBJ is currently in: Rome, Italy
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