Buscalan is known for its famous tattoo artist or locally called Mambabatok and said to be the last tattoo artist, Apo Whang-Od. To get there, we had to travel 4-5 hours from La Trinidad, Benguet then to Bontoc, Mountain Province. From Bontoc, it would be another 2-hour drive to get to Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga.
Dawn was breaking when we got there. We couldn't get a real glimpse of the sunrise though. The booth was not opened yet when we arrived so we had to wait.
The road going to the village ends where one can now hike to the village center at a lesser time. We had to register at the registration booth first and pay the environmental fee of Php25.00 per person. A guide will then be assigned for every 5 people which costs Php1000.00 per guide.
Interesting images can be seen at the parking lot including a portrait of Apo Whang-Od. Even the door handle of the booth was made interestingly. There's a also a tram that is used to bring supplies to the village. This gives convenience to them so they don't have to carry it down and up the mountains. I'm not sure if that is working though.
The guide fee is indicated on the door along with the price of home stay for those who wish to stay over night. I think the standard fee is Php350.00 per head. It was also the same fee that our guide collects if they have guests in their homes.
From the booth, we hiked down to the river which took us about less than 5 minutes, cross the river and then hiked up to the village itself for about 20 minutes or so. The view gets better and better as you go up higher up the mountain.
Souvenir shops are scattered throughout the village especially those at the front part of the village. As we go inner to the village, more shops can be seen along the way.
The houses were built next to each other creating a maze of small alleys here and there but always easy to find your way out to the main sidewalk which is at the edge of the mountain.
Horns and skulls of animals can be seen hung on walls or poles. These serve as trophies for the animals that were butchered. Satellite dishes can also be seen in most of roofs of the houses. They were also able to create a waterway system to cater to every home. Here in front of our guide's house, some villagers wash their dishes here. Note that the water coming from the mountains are potable.
Our guides were kind enough to entertain us in their homes cooking us a meal even. Some of us had tattoos done by young villagers. Getting tattooed by the master herself needs time. You have to be there two or three days depending on how long the queue is.
The wait is really long for there were those who were already at the village that time as evidenced by the number of private cars at the parking lot across the mountain where the village is. We may have been the first clients for the day but not the first in line. Those who wanted a tattoo had to have their tattoos done by someone else other than Apo Whang-Od.
For those of us who had nothing else to do, we explored a waterfall (Ngilabho Falls according to our guide) nearby which was about 30-minute walk back and forth. We had to cross rice paddies in order to get there. It was a refreshing bath at the falls that was not too tall and the pool is shallow.
On our way back from the falls, we were also brought by our guides to a public pool where locals come and swim for free. Beside the pool is a small museum of sorts where a statue of Apo Whang-Od is housed along with some of the recognitions and portraits of her were placed.
We also checked the Buscalan Rice Terraces. Although there are terraces that one can pass along the way as you go up the village, those at the top of the village are the best one yet with the mountain ranges as the backdrop. It was an opportune time for us for it was planting season and the villagers have already planted rice turning the mountains into an emerald sea of planted rice.
With nothing else to see, we spent the rest of the day waiting for our companions who were having their tattoos done.
It is noticeable how modern and traditional materials were used in constructing the houses. I was a bit surprised that sliding windows can be seen everywhere. It just goes to show that the village is not as remote anymore. Phone signals are a challenge still but that is slowly being addressed. Give it a year or two.
Back then there were only a few tattoo artists but now those who can do it are now making money from it. With charcoal mixed in water as ink, a thorn from pomelo held in a stick and another stick to use to tap the ink to the skin, then you are paid with that. Of course it takes time and a lot of practice to perfect the craft. One of the artists who did the tattoo on one us made errors for the lines were not straight. She is young. She will soon perfect it.
First you have to choose a pattern/s or design/s and then it will be laid out using a thin piece of stick and/or string. Once that is done, then the tattooing starts. Every so often a finger is dipped into the charcoal and water mix and then smeared to the thorn/needle. The stick that holds the needle is then tapped using another stick. This process is repeated until the whole design is inked properly. The duration of the whole process depends on how big or intricate the design and how fast the artist can do it.
We were not able to have photo with Apo because she was busy with other clients but hopefully next time we will have the chance. We were able to see her do her thing and take photos of her tattooing her signature.
It's great that the art and tradition and culture is being kept alive.
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