The Arab News also reported that Filipino tattoo artists are operating illegally in Saudi Arabia, providing Saudis tattoos from makeshift parlors in their homes. Tattoo-seekers pay upwards of 70 percent more than the going rate in other countries because tattoo artists are so difficult to find.

Check it out

January 22nd, 2011 – San Francisco
The joint book launch for “Way of the Ancient Healer” and “Filipino Tattoos: Ancient to Modern!” The day begins at noon at ARKIPELAGO BOOKS where we will be signing books until 4:00 pm. Then at 5:30 pm we will begin the book launch at the Bayanihan Community Center with opening traditional ceremonies and a special invocation song by Grace Nono. The night will feature music by Diwa Kulintang and lectures by both Virgil and I! Cultural performers to be announced! This promises to be a night to remember!

January 18th, 2011 – San Francisco
This is the very first public signing event I will be doing for Filipino Tattoos Ancient to Modern! It will be an intimate setting for talking about our books and I have heard wonderful things about Om Shan Tea! If you live in the San Francisco Area and would like to meet me or Virgil one-on-one, this is the event for you!

Southern California events:

Product Description
Tattooing is a very old and spiritually respected art form that has existed in many different cultures around the world. After many centuries of not being practiced in Europe, tattooing was re-introduced to the Western world through the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean. Beginning in the 16th century, European explorers came across many people who practiced tattooing as an integral part of their cultures.This is the first serious study of Filipino tattoos, and it considers early accounts from explorers and Spanish-speaking writers. The text presents Filipino cultural practices connected with ancestral and spiritual aspects of tattoo markings, and how they relate to the process and tools used to make the marks. In the Philippine Islands, tatoos were applied to men and women for many different reasons. It became a form of clothing. Certain designs recognized manhood and personal accomplishments as well as attractiveness, fertility, and continuity of the family or village. Facial tattoos occurred on the bravest warriors with names that denoted particular honor.Through the fascinating text and over 200 images, including color photographs and design drawings, the deep meanings and importance of these markings becomes apparent.

About the Author
Lane Wilcken has been researching the indigenous past of the Philippines and the Pacific Islands for nearly two decades, incorporating oral traditions, written history, linguistics, and personal experience. His ancestral ties to this work continue to motivate his research. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

-Tattoo of the Day
-Best Small Pieces
-Best Medium (Colored & Black & Gray)
-Best Large (Colored & Black & Gray)
-Best in Henna (Medium & Large Piece)

Please see poster for more details.

“Proud to be a Filipino” is the precise message of this tattoo by NJ of Italy. This is another 3 Stars and a Sun with three letters (NJP) in the middle that stands for his initials.

More and more Filipinos are proving their being nationalist and their love for the Philippines by etching symbols on their skins. These are symbols that represent the country like what you’ve seen in NJ’s tattoo.

You can see more of these symbols on the late blogs and on our upcoming articles. So keep on reading!

With all other art forms such as painting, Baybayin, cooking, fashion, dancing, singing, rapping, poetry, FMA (Filipino Martial Arts) and etc are all well represented but where is the Filipino Tattoo community? I get asked about Filipino tattoos, especially tribal patterns 50x at every event. My experience is in San Francisco Bay Area but I assume that other regions across the USA/world are probably in the same situation. What about in the Philippines? Is there some sort of FREE education? There might be but I don’t see it on the internet and in this modern world, if it’s not on the internet – it doesn’t exist…..period. It may exist in your local area but in order to spread/keep the culture, it has to be online.

I fully understand that these cultural events are usually on the weekends and that’s your busiest times but maybe the investment in your own culture is worth it? What is the point of trying to preserve/spread the culture if you only teach people who can afford to pay? I’m all for capitalism but it’s a big contradiction.

From a business standpoint, it’s stupid to teach your craft or the meanings of “secret” tribal tattoo patterns but from a cultural one, it’s blah. I can tell you from personal experience by teaching Baybayin for FREE and giving out FREE materials to ANYONE who asks has been rewarding culturally, personally and financially. If someone steals my artwork and does their own thing, so what…..let them. I’ll just have to step it up. If I can’t, then so be it.

So my ask is of Filipino tattoo artists is…..please share your knowledge of Filipino tattoos. Don’t leave out the good 99% of your fellow Pinoys because your scared of the 1% that might take advantage of what you know. There’s a BIG hole in the Filipino tattoo community. If you don’t fill it, someone else will and it will be your loss. Need help or exposure, contact me and I will be gladly to assist.

New design

Old design

2008 was a great year for this site despite the economy issues. Some highlights include:

• Over 300 Baybayin translations
• Features in 2 newspapers
• Booths at 4 Filipino events in the San Francisco area
• Experimented with clothing and artwork

To do list for 2009:

• More blog posts (I’m still looking for someone interested in blogging)
• More video
• Better technology
• More transparency
• ….and some top secret goods that will be out soon

If your talented (or want to be talented) and want to get some experience on the web, contact me. Any involvement on the web looks good on a resume.

Pasko Expo 2008 in Vallejo, CA is over and was OK. The reason I say only OK is that it was difficult to have conversations as we did at the Pistahan event this past summer. I had fun though. Highlights of the event was meeting fellow Baybayin artist, Christine Balza of suku-art.com and watching Charmaine Clamor perform. Sucks I didn’t have the chance to get a CD, autograph, and picture. It’s the 2nd time I missed out, next time. Pictured above is Rey Haguisan of Malaya Designs, Miss Teen Filipina 2008, Lyka, and myself. I still have Lakas hats and shirt for sale. Contact me if you want to order one.

At the event Ray and I provided free name translations. Here are a few of our customers.

A pending house bill looks to regulate body piercing and tattooing in the Philippines. The measure requires persons who wish to engage in body piercing or tattooing to first obtain a permit from the Department of Health. I wonder how much the permit will cost?

Under the bill, any one who performs body piercing or tattooing without a permit from the department of health shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of arresto mayor (one month and one day to six months) or a fine ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 or both at the discretion of the court.

Those who operate body piercing studios or tattoo studios without a permit shall be punished with a penalty of prision correccional (six months and one day to six years) or a fine ranging from P100,000 to P200,000 or both at the discretion of the court.

The penalties shall be imposed in the maximum if the violation results in the death of the patient, insanity or psychological damage of the patient and permanent physical disfigurement or disability of the patient.

Psychological damage? How will they measure that? I don’t like my tattoo and it caused me psychological issues! I actually agree with the measure. Philippine Tattoo Artists Guild (PTAG) members are required to undergo seminars by the Department of Health.

Read the whole article.

In the Philippines, Julie Ann Grafia, or Juki as most people call her, has been a freelance tattoo artist for almost three years now. She got her first tattoo when she was 20 and has since been adding to her body of work. She is addicted to the needle. No pain, no gain.