Why is having a tattoo still taboo nowadays?
Tattoos were discriminated against and “associated with deviant behaviour.” Just recently, a sportscaster sparked the discussion online.
But back then, tattoos carry a different meaning.
The earliest record of Philippine tattoo art can be seen in the Boxer Codex – a Spanish manuscript written in 1590. Back then, tattoos were interpreted as more than just a body decoration. It is a sign of bravery, a symbol of social standing, and a rite of passage. Visayan fighters adorned with tattoos were known as Pintados. It represented both social status and valor.
For the tribes in the Cordilleras, a tattoo represents the number of enemies they have killed. Undeniably, tattoos bear cultural messages: religion, politics, war, rituals.
