She's not a warrior of course, but her tattoos are for real. They're body art practiced by the tribes in the province of Kalinga. Real warriors wear them to ward off evil or commemorate their bravery. And their women wear them too. They're head-hunters after all, although that practice has ended in the middle of the last century.
The women wear beads handed down from generations, and wear tattoos to look beautiful to their men. But this practice is a vanishing tradition as the younger generations no longer adorn their bodies this way. The women we photographed are in their 70's, with several near the age of 100. That's why we are racing to photograph as many as we can... before they are all gone. Enjoy.
(Pixel-peepers: The tattoos are very finely done as you'd expect from art. I photographed them inside their homes, sitting in front of an open doorway or window. Natural light is quite flattering when they're directional. If you would like to try your hand at this, please contact my guide Lilibeth Atumpa in Buscalan Kalinga. You can look her up on Facebook.)
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For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers. Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas. No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)
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Oh wow, that's impressive!
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