The Real Filipino Roots: How we became...

The Malay Archipelago before government and politics and nationalism started/ consisted of
only what we know
now, as Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Within the vast archipelago
these islands was
not inhabited yet, only by Pre-historic animals.

FIRST WAVE: The First indigenous people that traveled to explore new homeland was the
Aetas (Negritos:
which are crossed with Afro-Asiatic and Austro-Aborigines). The Aetas or Agtas or Negritos
or Andamanese (of the
Andaman Island, India), they are the first to reach several exotic Islands of the archipelago
and called it home. This
was approximately 15,000-3,000 B.C. (Original indigenous native man of the East
Indies and of the island
continent which is now known as Australia). Within these times the Aetas where nomadic
because of the changes
of weather and food resources. They traveled through the vast region of the archipelagos.
Going from island to
island of the South seas (for instance, the people of Melanesia - FIJI). The Aetas area mix
descent of African and
Asiatic roots they came from Asia evolving as a new race of human beings. Different from
the present day black
people of Africa or the present day Asians.
SECOND WAVE: Alongside the Aetas different and diverse civilizations were evolving
faster and more
advanced than them. This is because of the Malay archipelagos many secluded islands (time
seems to stop as
primitive indigenous tribes are in seclusion). When the many islands of the pacific were
settled by the Aetas.
Another wave of intermixed race appeared. These natives came down also from Asia and
evolve to another race.
They were called the Proto-Malays (Mongol Asiatic descent they are from mainland Asia and
are the 2nd to settle
in the Malay archipelago). The Proto-Malays were more technologically advanced group
(2500 B.C. 2nd wave).
They were sea farer's and farmers, and their advances in to the peninsula forced the Negritos
of the land to the
hills and jungles. Although, there were a few territorial fights in the beginning of the Proto-
Malays settlements. They
have live side by side with the Aetas peacefully Within their island homes (exchanging
information). Both the Aetas
and the Proto-Malays practiced head-hunting and is part of the family Malayo-Polynesian
language group.
THIRD WAVE: Third wave introduced civil natives called the Deuteron-malay`s they were
crossed with the
Proto-Malay natives with India-asiatic, which was Indian, Chinese, Siamese, and later
mixed with Arabic. These
people brought with them diverse influences. They were more civilize and so, along with the
Aetas and the original
Proto-Malay natives the Duetero-Malays in comparison was not as primitive. So they
overruled the majority of the
archipelago. Not until the Spanish overseers came with there guns and forcing there beliefs
on the land. And so
they were pushed more down south area of the archipelagos.

It was the introduction of the 4th wave that soon put the Philippine Islands into the maps. The
Spanish fleet led by
Portuguese hero Ferdinand Magellan reached the islands. From there, to make things short
and not complicated,
short summary: the CASTILLAS the Spaniards, the Conquistadors (the overseers) did as
they do and rape and
pillaged the land of its gold and of its people, to make it there own. Intermixing to become
the fourth wave. The
Spanish influence. TO BE CONTINUED...
Tribes History
It was 1998, in the midst of the Polynesian tattoo renaissance; the first Amangs of the tribe
went to Hawaii not
knowing what lay ahead of them. They wanted to see for themselves the proud people who
have been reviving
their culture's tattoo traditions. In some sense, they felt that the spirit of the MANA was
present in every turn during

their journey because it led them to the most righteous people. It also gave them the
opportunity
to learn about the Polynesians oral history and folklore, giving them the chance to build a
bridge
of information that parallels that of the Philippines. As the Amangs shared their information to

what they have learned from the elders and their separate researches it would mesh with the
research of the Polynesian brothers and to what they have heard and learned growing up with
the tattoo culture being practiced. That was only the beginning in furthering their dedication
for
the revival of the Filipino tattoo traditions.

From Hawaiian big brother's like beach boy ROY with stories about his
tattoos, made tribe members focus more about their own tattoos and how it
correlated with their own lives and ancestors. ROY then introduced the first
Amangs to two Polynesians from Tahiti, PO'OINO and COCO. It was a great site to see
that they too were filled with tattoos that spoke about their ancestors and abundantly
celebrated them on their skin without shame or worries about the preconceptions of today's
society and how they look down upon such practices.

It was very admirable that the Polynesians dedication of reviving their traditions went as far
as to
sport so much tattoos just to make a point about their ancestors way of expressing things
through
insignias and patterns; reviving things of the past that missionaries felt was savage and
primitive
was a proud thing to do. The POLYNESIAN people too, have experienced oppression by the
Europeans, yet they are pushing to regain the wealth of their tattoo culture that was once
extinct.
They asked the AMANG’S why aren't our Filipino people breaking that mental enslavement
from the
past Spanish rule and join in the revival by getting tattooed with our insignias and sacred
patterns?
We read so much in books that the Filipino people where very much tattooed in the past but
none

dare to step to the plate and brake the cycle. Seeing their
POLYNESIAN cousins, it was a great example that fueled the creation
of the tribe and it's mission to regain.

However, it didn't stop there. PO’OINO started a tattoo shop in Waikiki,

Oahu called NEW TRIBAL TATTOOS, which brought the very talented
likes of AISEA TOETU'U and Filipino brother ORLY LOCQUIAO from San Jose; they
became the TRIBES great
friends. NEW TRIBAL TATTOO wanted to practice contemporary tribal tattoos, paralleling
traditional tattoo designs
of the old and weaving it to the person of today. It was a foundation filled with cultural
sources.

AISEA TOETU'U was the start of the revival... TO BE CONTINUED.

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//::.URBAN WARRIORS.:://

REVIVING TRADITIONAL TATTOOS OF THE PHILIPPINES

Sometimes called the Forgotten Islands of Southeast Asia, located as they are off
the main
trading routes, the over 7000 islands that comprise the Philippines host a rich mix of
about 80 to 90
distinctivelydifferent cultures, ranging from the wild sea gypsies of the Sulu
Archipelago, many of
whom have never stepped foot on dry land, to intensely independent Kalinga people, who
live in the
remote mountainous region of Northern Luzon.
Here, where the terraces are close
and the slopes are steep, age-old
traditions are not easily changed. The
few roads through the area are
supplemented by narrow footpaths
which wind their way along terrace
edges up the jutting stepping stones of
the terrace walls and through mountain
passes to connect the villages and
barrios. Everything, including new
construction materials when needed,
must be borne on human backs and
heads.

But one of the constants that are part

of almost all traditional Filipino
cultures is tattooing, with styles that
range from intricately delicate swirling
designs to bold and simple silhouette
motifs. Tattoos have long been so
much in evidence that part of the
Philippines was dubbed "La Isla De Los Pintados" -- the Islands of the Painted Ones --
by Spanish explores.
Sadly, over the last half-century, Filipino tattoo traditions have been slowly vanishing.
But that slow cultural
suicide will soon stop, if the "Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon Tribe" tribe accomplishes its goals.

Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon is an organization dedicated to reviving the traditional cultures

and tattoos of the
Philippine Islands. Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon Translates to Mark of the Four Waves, a
reference to the "waves" of
immigrants who came to the Philippines over many millennia. The influence, both good and
bad, of each of these
waves has combined to create the islands' culture. Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon intends to resurrect
the positive, repair
the negative, and move into the future while keeping their roots firmly planted in the
past. "A people without
knowledge of their history and culture are like a tree without roots," says Amang Hanuno'o,
Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon
member. Our ancestors are the roots on the tree of life, and all the branches tell their stories.
The leaves are our
parents. We should all support each other as we grow and reach towards the skies, but so
many of our generation
are like seeds that have not been watered."

Tattooing, encapsulating as it does the stories and beliefs of traditional Philippine culture, is a
significant part of
the renaissance that Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon are working towards. Tribe members help each
other to research
their ancestors' history by consulting elders and whatever printed reference material might be
available. From that
knowledge the correct tattoos are created.

Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon members stress that their tattoos are not a fad or a fashion statement.
The tattoos are
intended to bridge the gap to their ancestors, and every pattern is sacred. Each Tatak Ng
Apat Na Alon member's
tattoos have story lines and deep symbolic meanings behind them. So for a person to copy
would be taboo and
disrespectful. They can be used for inspiration for your own designs. But it would be so
much better, AMANG
suggests, to research your own roots and water your own tree. "I know of someone who got
a Filipino tattoo which
he thought indicated that he was a brave warrior. But what the design actually meant was
that he was the widow
of three warriors. I didn't say anything to him about it because I didn't want to embarrass him.
His heart was in the
right place. But that is an example that it's very important for people to know that these tattoos
have real power and
meaning, and could bring unwelcome things into your life if you aren't absolutely sure what
they stand for, or if you
aren't the person who is supposed to be wearing them."

For Some of the images, only a surface story can be told of their meanings, since it is
believed that telling the
in-depth story will diminish the tattoos worth, depriving it and its wearer of its protective
power. Other tattoo designs
would seem to conflict with traditional Filipino beliefs, AMANG says, Unless you know the
thinking behind them. "
For example, a lizard is a messenger of death. If a lizard whispers in your ear, you won't
survive the next battle. So
you'd think people wouldn't be wearing a lizard tattoo, but actually the image acts as a
talisman. Other messenger
lizards of the spiritual world would presume that the message has already been delivered
when they see the tattoo
and they leave you alone."

There are different tattoo traditions among each of the Philippine's main island groups;
LUZON, VISAYAS, and
MINDANAO. According to AMANG's research, the mountain tribes in Northern Luzon
developed a highly
creative culture, and tattooing is still very prevalent among the people who live there. Their
tattoos are intricate
patterns comprised of curved and straight lines, inked in indigo blue and placed on the chest
and arms. " It would
be difficult to find a man or woman from the interior of LUZON who has never been
tattooed," says AMANG. " But
the practice is rapidly disappearing as many people are now discarding their old traditions
in favor of the new."

The Men of the VISAYAS, the people called PINTADOS by the Spaniards, tend to tattoo
their entire bodies. The
women only tattoo their hands. Both sexes get inked at an early age, as it's believed that
the younger child
begins to get tattoos, the easier he or she will find the experience." Visayas tattoos are
extremely elaborate, they
look like complicated etchings," said AMANG. " They leave only their wrists and feet bare
of ink. Basically what
they do is cut the designs into the skin and then press soot or ashes into the wound."

Traditional Filipino women get tattooed to enhance their beauty. Men's tattoos are
markers of their age,
accomplishments, and tribal seniority. Some tribes believe that tattoos have magical qualities,
particularly images of
scorpions, centipedes, snakes, and boats, all of which have especially deep significance to the
people who wear
these tattoos.

The Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon Tribe has about 40 members (then, 100 members now in the
present and that
does not include all the candidates to join). Most have been tattooed in the modern way,
with tattoo machines.
Some have gotten traditional hand worked tattoos. The traditional tattooing method involves
the tattooist smearing
the skin with a mixture of soot and sugarcane juice, Amang says. If sugarcane juice isn't
available other substances
such as lard or hen's dung can be used. The skin is then rapidly poked with the tattooing
instrument, which ranges
from the pointed metal pieces used by the PINTADOS, to the pieces of sharpened wood
used by the kankanay
tribe from Central Benguet.

The Most unusual tattooing device was developed by the Isneg tribe from the Apayao
Province called the
"Igihisi," it is made from a curved piece of rattan with four or five pins attached to one end.
The tattooist places the
pins into the skin and then rapidly beats the curve next to the pins, on it's convex side, until
the pins are deeply
embedded into the skin.

AMANG HANUNO'O recently discovered that the folklore of how tattooing began in Borneo
is very similar to a
Philippine tattoo myth. Both are birds, who --as the story goes --fell into a bowl of black ink.
Covered with pigment,
the bird frantically flew into a warrior, and began to peck at him. Soon the warrior was
covered with little black
marks that formed a design, and the first tattoo had been inked.

Sometimes I feel like a horse with

blinders," said Amang. "I am so focused on
Filipino Things that I forget to look at other
cultures. And it is very important to look at
other cultures because all are connected.
Art knows no boundaries."
TATTOO Magazine® - May 2004 - Issue 177
Written By: MICHELLE DELIO

We ask that you do not copy the patterns of the tattoos given here as well as
the tattoos from our other pages. These tattoos have actual meanings that are
specifically made for the person wearing them. Each pattern and design depict
their own personal stories of their lives and ancestry, NOT YOURS!!! " Research
your own roots and water your own tree."