Author: renfaireph.com

𝑹𝒆𝒏𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑷𝒉 is different from all Renaissance Faires due to its touch of filipino culture. With that in mind, we introduce one of the booths you may visit at the Faire.

Want to feel like a real warrior based on Asia particularly from the cordilleras? Go meet our guests the mambabatok tattoo artists, in order to have a chance to have the symbols of warriors which originated a thousand years ago etched on your body.

Batok is a traditional tattooing practice in the Philippines that has been around for about a thousand years. It involves tribal designs that enhance the beauty of Filipino women, typically those of the right age. However, the art isn’t exclusive to women, as men who prove their worthiness can also participate in the tradition. Many men with these tattoos are Kalinga warriors, marked with designs representing were sacred and a symbol of power, courage, and dominance. Kalinga warriors and headhunters earned their body art which represented the battles they won. While batok beautifies women, men’s tattoos symbolize bravery and earn them respect. The artists who create these tattoos are called mambabatoks, but the practice is at risk due to the passing of original practitioners. The process involves using a bamboo stick, an orange thorn needle, and soot mixed with water to create ink. A blade of grass is used to draw the pattern on the skin, and the tattoo is made by pricking the skin with the orange thorn needle. The pain is significant due to the thorn’s texture, but the pursuit of beauty outweighs the discomfort.

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