At Emerald Tattoo & Piercing, our connection to tattooing goes beyond what happens inside our shops. It is also about the people, stories, and culture behind the art.
Recently, our Emerald Tattoo & Piercing Philippines marketing team, along with our owner Red, traveled to Buscalan, Kalinga for a trip we will not soon forget.
The goal was simple: experience the community, learn more about its culture, and visit Apo Whang-Od, one of the most recognized figures in traditional Filipino tattooing.
A Journey to Buscalan
Getting to Buscalan was an experience in itself. The mountain community is known around the world for its traditional tattoo culture and for preserving the practice of batok, a hand-tapped tattoo tradition passed down through generations.
For our team, this was our chance to step away from our usual work and experience that culture firsthand.
We came as a marketing team, but we left with a much more personal connection to the experience.
Meeting Apo Whang-Od
One of the biggest highlights of the trip was meeting Apo Whang-Od.
Seeing her work and experiencing the community surrounding her gave us a better appreciation for the history and cultural significance of traditional Filipino tattooing.
It was a reminder that tattooing isn't just about designs. For many people, it is about identity, memories, culture, and stories.
Making the Journey Permanent
For many of us, simply visiting Buscalan wasn't enough. We wanted to take a piece of the experience home with us.
Almost everyone on the team got a tattoo during the trip, including our owner, Red.
Each tattoo became a personal reminder of the journey, the people we met, and the time we spent together in Buscalan.
Years from now, we may forget some of the small details of the trip, but we'll always have something on our skin to remind us where we went and what the experience meant to us.
More Than a Trip
What started as a trip for our Philippines marketing team became something much more personal.
We shared the journey together, experienced a different side of Filipino culture, met people who welcomed us into their community, and came home with memories we will carry with us.
We're grateful for the experience and for the opportunity to visit Buscalan and meet Apo Whang-Od.
Thank you, Buscalan, for welcoming us and giving our team a journey worth remembering.
