The Dying Art of Ancient Filipino Tribal Tattoos

Heritage Flashback • Culture & Tradition

Reviving The Ancient Art of Filipino Tribal Tattoos

Reclaiming the identity of the "Islands of the Painted Ones" through the Filipino diaspora.

Full body tattooing was an ancient personal rite among the tribes of the Philippines. So much so, that when the Spanish landed there and officially named the region after Spanish King Philip II, they also implemented an ink-tastic nickname for the archipelago: "Islands of the Painted Ones."

"Fast forward 500 years, and the ancient art of tattoos in the Philippines is in decline. But abroad, the ritual is finding a new home among the world's diasporas of Filipino immigrants." — Read more at AllDay.com
Photo Credit: Mark of the Four Waves Tribes / Facebook

The "Mark of the Four Waves Tribes" (Tatak Ng Apat na Alon)

The Mark of the Four Waves Tribes is a group of Filipino-American immigrants dedicated to re-establishing their connection to their heritage via the ancient art of tattooing. This movement is a spiritual journey back to the roots of pre-colonial Filipino identity.

Spiritual Journey Tattoo

The official tattoo shop of the Apat Na Alon tribe is Spiritual Journey Tattoo, where the tradition is kept alive through modern and traditional techniques.

Spiritual Journey Tattoo
7159 Katella Avenue
Stanton, CA 90680
714.236.0583


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