Vogue's oldest ever cover star: Meet 106-year-old tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od

The 106-year-old traditional tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od has been featured as the top star of Vogue Philippines' April 2023 edition. The Filipino senior citizen, who goes by the name Maria Oggay as well, is going to be the oldest person to appear on the prestigious Vogue cover.

Apo Whang-Od began studying the ancient practise of hand-tapping tattoos since she was a young teen. She currently resides in the hilly community of Buscalan in the Philippine state of Kalinga.

Whang-Od currently works primarily with foreign clients who travel great distances to Kalinga to see her renowned geometric artwork. She thinks the custom will endure as long as people continue to visit tattoo parlours.

She has been instructing her grandnieces Grace Palicas and Elyang Wigan in the art of making tattoos out of nothing more than bamboo sticks, pomelo tree thorns, water, and coal for a long time.

Only blood relations may continue the craft, and Whang-Od is teaching the subsequent generation just like her father once did for her.