National
A 106-year-old from the Philippines is Vogue’s oldest ever cover model
(CNN) — Vogue Philippines has revealed Apo Whang-Od as the cover star of its April issue, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.
Whang-Od — also known as Maria Oggay — has been perfecting the art of hand-tapping tattoos since she was a teen, learning under her father’s instruction.
Residing in the mountain village of Buscalan, about 15 hours north of Manila, in Kalinga province, she is considered the country’s oldest mambabatok — or traditional Kalinga tattooist.
Once, the hand-tapped tattoos that Whang-Od creates using just a bamboo stick, a thorn from a pomelo tree, water and coal, were earned by indigenous Butbut warriors.
Now, international visitors seeking her signature geometric designs make up much of her clientele.
“Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe—signifying strength, bravery, and beauty—on the skin of thousands of people who have made the pilgrimage to Buscalan,” Vogue Philippines said in a post on social media.
The art can only be passed down to blood relatives, and Whang Od has been training her grandnieces Elyang Wigan and Grace Palicas for several years.
“(My friends who gave tattoos) have all passed away,” Whang Od told CNN Travel in 2017.
“I’m the only one left alive that’s still giving tattoos. But I’m not afraid that the tradition will end because (I’m training) the next tattoo masters.”
“The tradition will continue as long as people keep coming to get tattoos,” she added.
“As long as I can see well, I will keep giving tattoos. I’ll stop once my vision gets blurry.”
Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief Bea Valdes said staff at the publication decided unanimously that Whang-Od should go on the cover. “We felt she represented our ideals of what is beautiful about our Filipino culture.
“We believe that the concept of beauty needs to evolve, and include diverse and inclusive faces and forms. What we hope to speak about is the beauty of humanity,” Valdes added.
Prior to Whang-Od’s appearance in Vogue Philippines, the record for oldest Vogue cover model was held by actress Judi Dench, who appeared on the front of British Vogue in 2020, at the age of 85.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
By: Pristine Villarreal
March 31, 2023
Latest Instagram Posts
It’s time for Season 5!! Fuego stopped by the studio today with a message! Coachella Valley Firebirds season opener this Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m. — tickets at CVFIREBIRDS.COM
Guess we are not the only ones asking about money in the Desert Recreation District! #therogginreport #coachellavalley #localnews #nbcpalmsprings
8 years lated and $30 MILLION higher … Should the state order an independent audit? Drop a 💬 if you want answers! #cvusd #coachellavalley #audit #therogginreport #nbcpalmsprings
Data centers on pause. ✋ Palm Springs City Council unanimously extended it’s moratorium through August 25, 2028, giving the city time to set zoning rules. What do you think of the decision? 🌴
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry
About 650,000 ballots and election materials are back with Riverside County election officials after the California Supreme Court ruled their seizure violated state election law. The materials remain under the registrar’s control as officials determine next steps.
Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. Do you get excited or stressed about the upcoming holiday season (or both) ?
BREAKING: Human remains believed to be those of 17-year-old T’neya Tovar have been discovered at a second site in the Salton City area, according to the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office. A skull and rib cage were found during a search involving Imperial County investigators and the FBI. Testing is still needed to confirm the remains belong to Tovar. The discovery comes one day after suspect Finebloom pleaded guilty to torture and voluntary manslaughter as part of a plea agreement that could result in a sentence of 13 years to life. More details on NBCPalmSprings.com
NBC Palm Springs went back to Indio Hills today after Dillon Road flooded last night, forcing many residents to leave. One resident told us he is back today, working on repairs—after his home faced extensive damage in the flood. be sure to visit nbcpalmsprings.com for a live look at the area today. #coachellavalley #weather #flood #indiohills #weather
This afternoon in Salton City, the FBI and Imperial County Sheriff’s Department were in the neighborhood of Abraham Feinbloom. Searching just after a plea deal was made to where Feinbloom agreed to show investigators where the remains of T’Neya Tovar are. Feinbloom pled guilty to one count of torture and voluntary manslaughter. Tonight you’ll hear from neighbors who have been following the case from the very beginning, that story will be on nbcpalmsprings.com #nbcpalmsprings #abrahamfeinbloom #fyp #murdercase #missingteenager