Wang Aud Ogge is the oldest traditional tattoo artist in the world. Thing is, even though this Filipina is 103 years old, her art is still in high demand. Despite the modern tattoo styles taking over the market, their centuries-old tattoo style is still in high demand. Some days hundreds of visitors come looking for Wang.
Wang is one of the last generation of traditional tattoo artists. Their day starts at 5:30 in the morning. She gained world attention in 2009 after appearing in a documentary series by American anthropologist Lars Krutak. She said that traditional tattoo art is now popular among the youth and people are starting to like it more. Wang's body is weak. But the mind is still young. They mostly paint nature animals like snakes, grasshoppers, flowers etc.
They make tattoo ink with charcoal and water. The colors are mixed and the ink is applied to the skin using a wooden thorn. This thorn is attached to a 12 inch long bamboo stick. You can choose the design you like by looking at their sample designs on hand. Although the pain is a bit high, people are willing to try it out of curiosity. Such tattoos can also be seen on their bodies. Their arms, shoulders, backs, chins and foreheads are wrinkled with tattoos all over their bodies.
Tattoo has great importance in their culture. However, in the 1930s, the government began to ban tattoos. Women started covering their upper body with dresses. This act, once seen as a sign of bravery, came to be seen as a crime by the state. Students were forced to wear such clothes to school to hide their tattoos. Tattoos, according to missionaries and professors, became a sign of immaturity. With this, the society banned people wearing tattoos. It became difficult for them to get jobs and relationships.
But Wang, meanwhile, preserved his cultural heritage. Despite the passage of time, they still preserve their legacy. They have been in this profession for almost eighty years.
