Meet 106-year-old Filipino tattoo artist, Vogue's oldest cover star

A 106-year-old Filipino tattoo artist is the new cover star of Vogue magazine. Apo Whang-Od, also known as Maria Oggay, has become the oldest covermodel of the magazine. She will feature in the April issue of Vogue Philippines.

Maria has been hand-tapping tattoos on people's skin since her teenage days. Sharing her photoson the Instagram account, the magazine wrote: ''Apo Maria ‘Whang-Od’ Oggay symbolises the strength and beauty of the Filipino spirit."

Samuel L Jackson makes a surprise appearance at Glasgow nightclub to watch drag show

Sharing more about Maria, they wrote in the caption: ''Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe—signifying strength, bravery, and beauty—on the skin of thousands of people who have made the pilgrimage to Buscalan.''

“When visitors come from far away,” Whang-Od says in the Butbut language, “I will give them the tatak Buscalan, tatak Kalinga for as long as my eyes can see.”

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Apo Whang, who is from the mountain village of Buscalan, is said to be the country's oldest traditional Kalinga tattooist. Following the ancient practice, she creates the tattoo using a bamboo stick, a thorn, water and coal.

With this new feat, Maria has dethroned the Academy Award-winning actress Judi Dench as one of the oldest stars to feature in the magazine.
Dench graced the cover of British Vogue in the May 2020 issue at the age of 85.

The art is passed down only to the family members, and Whang Od is currently teaching her two grandnieces Elyang Wigan and Grace Palicas.In a 2017 interview, Whang-Od said: “I’m the only one left alive that’s still giving tattoos. But I’m not afraid that the tradition will end because (I’m training) the next tattoo masters,” she told CNN.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.