The art of tattooing was once an integral part of tribal culture in the Philippines. Unfortunately, by the 1700s, the practice had all but fallen by the wayside due to the influence of invaders such as the Spanish Conquistadors.

Now, true Filipino tribal tattoos (called batek, batok, or patik in the Philippines) are a rarity, and a Filipino tattoo artist will only ink these designs on clients of Filipino heritage.

Many modern Filipinos frown on tattooing in general. But many locals and foreign tourists still seek to get inked by the legendary Apo Whang Od, the oldest magbabatok (tattoo artist) in the Philippines at 105 years old.

As far as the designs common to this style, Filipino tribal tattoos often draw inspiration from nature. Traditionally, an artist tattooed scenes and symbols highlighting aspects of the area where they themselves grew up.

For example, if an artist grew up near a mountain range with a river running through it, symbols depicting mountains and rivers would likely feature in their designs. In the Cordillera mountains, where Apo Whang Od lives, tattoo art is based on animals like snakes and plants like ferns.

Filipino tribal tattoos offered men protection, represented a tribe member’s bravery in battle, or signified their tribe status. As with many forms of indigenous tattooing, repetitive, meticulous patterns were commonplace, as opposed to the elaborate, photo-realistic images often seen in modern Western tattooing.

These patterns included circles, diamonds, as well as rudimentary shapes of dogs, men, and eagles. Hexagonal shapes resembling snake skin or beehives also show up frequently in Filipino tribal art.

Armbands were popular choices as far as placement, as were full chest pieces. All parts of the body except the hands and feet were considered prime real estate for ink.