Oragon: Tale of the Tattoo

Tattooing in Bicolandia is not just skin deep.

Bicol isn’t only about spicy foods and exotic recipes; whale watching, surfing, and snorkeling; or climbing the Philippines’ most active volcano. Its burgeoning culture of tattoo art by the region’s homegrown talents, also, is making a mark.

Poldik Jornales (photo by Paolo Alvarez)

While they may be unknown to many Bicol folks, gifted tattoo artists are just around the corner waiting for clients who would become a walking canvas of their masterpieces. After all, people are becoming more expressive nowadays about their individualities—with tattoos turning into their personal insignia. Getting inked as a souvenir, for some, is also becoming a tattoo trend.

In Naga City, tattoo artists like Bonjing Ros, Totoy San Agustin, and Poldik Jornales, who did some of my body art, have set up shops. Like many other tattoo artists, they also started with the dream of inking others both as a lifestyle and a career. “Passion ko talaga ang pag-drawing ever since bata pa ako at tsaka sayang ang talent ko kung di ko gagamitin, and lately naa-appreciate na angtattoo kaya kinarir ko na (It is my passion to draw ever since I was a child and it is a waste of talent if I’m not going to use it, and lately tattoos are being appreciated that is why I decided to make tattooing a career),” says Poldik while we are about to start our first tattoo session.

Bonjing Ros (photo by Xeres Gagero)

Poldik has been tattooing for almost a decade but started to become a fulltime tattoo artist only in 2010. He does most of his tattoo sessions at his home studio. Likewise, Bonjing also started with technical drawing as a hobby until one of his friends who used to own a homemade tattoo machine encouraged him to play with it and put some ink on his (friend’s) belly. Since five years ago, Bonjing has tattooed on part-time basis and “still learning new techniques.” He says he is only tattooing occasionally because his fulltime job is being a father.

Totoy San Agustin (photo by Miles Samaniego)

While for Totoy, he considers his tattoo business a family heritage. It is like a birthright given to him by his father who was also a tattoo artist in Naga City. “Hilig ko rin bro ang pagtatattoo kasi tatay ko din naging tattoo artist. Sa kanya ko ito na-mana. (Tattooing is one of my hobbies because my father used to be a tattoo artist. I inherited this from him)” says Totoy while tattooing a friend of mine. In Legazpi City, established tattoo artists include Joseph Barotilla and Vince Moral. The two are members of Bicool Tattoos, a tattoo artists’ society in Legazpi led by Vince. They do a lot of networking to promote their business.

Vince Moral (photo by EG Largoza)

“Pinopost ko lang sa FB [Facebook] ‘yung mga gawa namin pati mga number para madaling makuha ng mga costumer. Meron rin namang mga calling cards na ipinamimigay tapos pag may mga event gaya ng Magayon at Ibalong Festival; naglalagay din kami ng booths para dagdag na rin sa costumer. (I post our works on FB including our numbers so that prospective clients can easily see them. We also have calling cards that we give away and if there’s an event like the Magayon and Ibalong Festival; we put up booths so that we can also have some customers during the event)” says Joseph. Joseph has been tattooing since 2005 and has won awards including the Best On-The-Spot category at the 1st Penafrancia Tattoo Arts Festival last September 2011. He recently has opened his own tattoo studio—Ibalong Tattoo.

Joseph Barotilla (photo by Giordano Galileo Llorente-Cortez)

According to the artists, most of their customers who are not from Bicol crave to have tattoos as souvenirs. “The best souvenir siguro for me, kasi ‘yan ang magre-remind sa kanila about memorable things digdi sa Bicol like places and mga tao (Maybe [tattoo is] the best souvenir for me, because [it] will remind them about memorable things here in Bicol like the places and the people),” says Poldik. “Getting a tattoo as a souvenir is of course unique. Usually we give Bicolano shirts, pili sweets, and pinangat as souvenirs; so this time, why not tattoo? Hence, they will never forget their memories here in Bicol because the experience left a mark on their skin,” says Vince. “Tattoo ang tanging bagay na dadalhin mo hanggang kamatayan. (Tattoo is the only thing that you will bear until death),” adds Joseph then stressed the phrase“Wear your art with pride!” Some of the challenges they experience include discrimination, especially of those who have tattoos, and the lack of support from other institutions. They imply that the “conservative” society drives them to do tattooing as an underground activity. “As a local tattoo artist here in Bicol, the challenge is always the acceptance of tattoo as a form of art, self expression, and identity. But I challenge myself to keep improving my art,” says Vince. He has been working as tattoo artist for six years and considers tattooing as a lifetime career because he really enjoys doing skin art. Consequently, the artists are determined more than ever to pursue tattooing as a career so that someday, their venture will become a productive movement here in Bicol. Where to spot them: Poldik Tattoo by Poldik Jornales 356 J. Hernandez Ave., Naga City (Back of PNB Bldg), Camarines Sur (0919) 273-1344, (0927) 485-3423 poldikjornales@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/poldikjornales Skinzophrenic Tattoo by Bonjing Ros Magsaysay Ave., Naga City, Camarines Sur (0921) 293-2098 function_before_fashion@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/bonjing.ros Paradise Tattoo by Totoy San Agustin Sitio Paraiso, Sta. Cruz, Naga City, Camarines Sur (0939)466-1744 totoytattooshop@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/totoy.sanagustin Vinz Tattoo by Vince Moral – Bicool Tattoos Magallanes St., Oro Site, Legazpi City, Albay (0930) 870- 9300 army.of_none@yahoo.com https://www.facebook.com/vince.moral.33 Black Apple Tattoo Studio by Joseph Barotilla – Bicool Tattoos Market Site, Bitano, Legazpi City, Albay (0967) 606-5491 six6six_89@rocketmail.com https://www.facebook.com/joseph.barotilla.7