The Filipino Art of Tattoo
The history of tattooing in the Philippines goes back nearly as far as the history of the
country itself. There are literally hundreds of ethnic groups in the Philippine island chain, each
of which has their own language, tradition, and history.
Much like Borneo and other parts of Micronesia and Polynesia, tattoos were applied by a
sharpened bird bone or a kind of 'comb' made of sea shells. A hammer or mallet was used to
strike these repeatedly and drive the natural ink (usually made of pine and sugarcane juice)
under the skin.
Back then, getting infected was high. In cases where the attoos covered a large area of
the body, it was not uncommon to die while recovering from an extreme tattooing session.
Sometimes the process damaged internal organs.
However, many people back then still underwent the painful procedure because it was
considered an honor and worth the risk to lose life and limb. The tattoos......
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