Pre-Colonial ArtformSerrano, Lhean Angelique

P.4IND1ARTHIST

Over 5,000 years ago

The history of traditional tattooing began and diverse as the people who wear them.

Philippine Tattoo Culture

March 17, 1521

Ferdinand Magellan

When Ferdinand Magellan and his men landed on the shores of Homonhon

Island,

“pintados”Natives were called “pintados”,

meaning “painted people”.

The first natives wore tattoos and Magellan mistakenly

thought the designs were painted on.

TattooOriginated from the polynesian term

Tatau(tah-tah-oo or tah-taw)

“ to mark or strike”,

“doing what is right or correct”

The interpretations of the sound of the tapping of the

tattooing tools as the ink is pushed into the skin.

And made its way into the European languages as the word

Extension of a

man’s loincloth or a

woman’s skirt.

Extension of a

man’s loincloth or a

woman’s skirt.

Tattoo Artist

“ nobility and

bravery ”

Tattoomale

Female

“ Manfatek ”

“ Manbatek ”“ Mambabatok ”

“ Bumafatek ”

“ Manfattong ”

 tribal form

of rankaccomplishments

 magical qualities

Tattoo : Artists would be paid in advance with livestock, heirloom beads

or coined silver, etc

a comb of needles set at a right angle to the length of an L-shaped stick.

Tattoo : Equipments

An Adze-like tool was made of wood or

carabao horn ( Philippine water buffalo)

with needles made of iron, steel, brass,

bamboo or thorns of the orange tree

lashed to the tool.

Tattooing needles of the Pacific

Islands were usually made from the

bones of fishes, birds and small

animals.

The needles were razor sharp and capable of executing very precise lines and designs.

BONTOCThey are the people who live in the mountainous areas of Benguet,

Ifugao, Mounatin Province and Kalinga-Apayao.

TATTOO

 "Chaklag"

 “Pongo”“Fatek” 

Tattooed chest of the

headhunter / headtaker

The tattooed arms

of men and women

Tattooed on the Hands of an

old women

 “ Chaklag "

 “Pongo”

“Fatek” 

‘FATEK’ HAND TATTOO

FATEK is the word used to call the tattoo on the hands of the old women in Bontoc.

It beautifies the body.

Hand tattooing is a distinct Bontoc ‘body’ art. The practice has ended but the remnants of this art is still seen in the hands of an old women of Bontoc.

CENTIPEDE

Centipede “gayaman”, represents protection

from poisons and harm.

LADDER /

TEY-TEY

It symbolized the movement of a young warrior to a higher level.

Contemporary

The modern “tribal” tattoo now has come full of circle and is worn

by the descendants of the very people who originally inspired the

modern art. Due to its popularity, others have sought to emulate

the trend by creating “tattoo flash” of these sacred designs. Tattoo

flash is a drawn or printed copy of a tattoo design on paper, made

stirctly to be sold. Often new tribal tattoos are stylized versions or

copies of tattoos used by indigenous people.

end