• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist becomes Vogue cover model

Home> News

Published 12:01 1 Apr 2023 GMT+1

106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist becomes Vogue cover model

The centenarian is the fashion magazine's latest model

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle

A 106-year-old Indigenous tattoo artist has become a viral sensation after making a debut appearance on Vogue's latest cover.

The iconic fashion magazine released its April issue on Friday (31 March), spotlighting the centenarian Kalinga woman, Apo Whang-Od, across the front cover.

The model, also known as Maria Oggay, is hailed as the Philippines' oldest traditional tattoo artist or 'mambatok' to date.

Advert

Apo Whang-Od appeared on the recent cover of Vogue Philippines.
imagegallery2 / Alamy Stock Photo

The magazine shared the news to Twitter yesterday, posting a photo of Whang-Od in traditional dress and the look was complete with colourful beads and a body intricately inked from head-to-toe.

The beauty issue was titled 'Next of Skin'.

Vogue Philippines captioned the reveal: "Apo Maria 'Whang-Od' Oggay symbolizes the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit.

Advert

"Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe signifying strength, bravery & beauty on the skin."

Whang-Od first became famous after skilfully mastering the ancient 'batok' tattooing method.

The traditional technique - which is over 1,000 years old - revolves around the mambatok artist tapping ink made from charcoal soot into the skin using a very sharp stick.

According to the magazine, the model first started learning the age-old custom at just 16-years-old from her father.

Speaking to Vogue in her native Butbut language, Whang-Od explained that she has been hand-tapping these rich tapestries of work onto clients from all over the world and will go on as long as she can.

Advert

Talk about a life-long career.

She told the outlet: "When visitors come from far away,I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see."

Whang-Od’s entire life is beautifully 'inscribed in her skin' from 'accomplishments to ailments and names of long-gone lovers'.

Whang-Od's issue has gone viral online.
Twitter

Advert

"It tells a story of bravery, beauty & the rich heritage of the Kalinga tribe."

The photo shoot has since gone viral online with over 3.4 million people on Twitter alone viewing Vogue Philippine's initial release tweet.

One Twitter user posted: "This is the best Vogue PH cover so far."

"Best Vogue cover ever. Bravo!" echoed a second, while a third added: "No one will ever top this. Amazing."

Advert

Another fan of the shoot called the work a 'badass cover', before tweeting: "I don’t know how you all are going to top this!"

"The perfect cover for a beauty issue. Beauty in ageing. Beauty in culture. Beauty in being a Filipino," a final Twitter user commented.

"Thank you for this cover, Vogue Philippines."

Featured Image Credit: imagegallery2 / Alamy Stock Photo / Instagram / apowhangod

Topics: World News, News, Beauty, Fashion

Rhiannon Ingle
Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

9 hours ago
10 hours ago
11 hours ago
  • 9 hours ago

    Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane fights back tears as he discusses heartbreaking ALS diagnosis in first interview

    The actor previously portrayed Dr. Mark Sloan on the medical drama and starred as Jason Dean in Charmed

    Celebrity
  • 9 hours ago

    Two children left orphaned after dad dies in Air India crash on way home from fulfilling his late wife's 'final wish'

    The young girls' world has been 'turned upside down in just over two weeks'

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    Two Democratic lawmakers and spouses shot in their homes as police issue shelter-in-place alert

    Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband have sadly died in the ordeal

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Expert shares three jobs young people should start training to do now to beat AI in the future

    A new report has shown a drastic rise in the use of AI in the workforce

    Technology
  • How Warren Buffett's 40-year-old investment in Coca-Cola earns him millions every year
  • Archeologists discover 6,000-year-old skeletons with unexplained DNA that could rewrite history
  • Make-up artist reveals why Donald Trump is 'much more orange' now and settles debate
  • Everything we know as 19-year-old influencer plunges to her death after 'unfastening harness during panic attack' on parasail