A crowd of spectators have gathered around two men, who apparently have no sensitivity to pain, as they continuously receive stabs in the back from men who looked like they could have stepped right out of National Geographic. But the stabbing is not just for our entertainment I assure you. Those men, who I swear to God never even flinched, were receiving Filipino tattoos the old fashioned way, “stick and poke”. The art of traditional tattooing was dying out especially amongst Filipino immigrants, until a small group decided to bring it back.
Elle Festin is a member of the revival movement. “Filipino’s are everywhere.”, he says as another man prepares Festin’s leg for more ink. “There are large Filipino communities in the United States, but I know people from New Zealand, Australia, London and Florence too.” Festin himself is from California and says growing up there was no real Filipino community. The revival of tattooing allows Filipino’s to reconnect with a culture and with their ancestors says Festin.
“There was nobody really doing it anymore so we had to learn from watching videos and reading books. There was a lot of research on what symbols meant what and what our family symbols were. We mostly just practiced on each other or ourselves,” He points to a small design on his thigh where another member is still preparing. “That’s from the first time I ever practiced.”
To the Filipino’s who give and receive tattoos through “stick and poke”, this is how they are connecting with their ancestors. By using their symbols and patterns they are rewriting out stories from the past, says Festin. As he put it, each time you hear the stick hit the poker it is the artist knocking on the door to the spirit world. The act of getting the tattoo is meant to be a journey, something the receiver earns. In other words it is meant to hurt, and you are meant to take it.
Although the members who started the revival have had success in bringing the art form back from the brink of extinction, they have had to make a few modifications. “We compromised,” as Festin put it. The traditional bones and thorns that made up the poker have been replaced by sterile interchangeable needles. The artists are required to wear gloves. And the stick and poker are sometimes subbed out for a less traditional modified tattoo gun, (all the pain, just a lot faster).
The rebirth started with ten members researching and practicing, but now the community stands strong at around 350 members. Festin smiles, and I leave, he was about to start on yet another spiritual journey, the modified tattoo gun buzzes to life in the background.
Elle Festin is a member of the revival movement. “Filipino’s are everywhere.”, he says as another man prepares Festin’s leg for more ink. “There are large Filipino communities in the United States, but I know people from New Zealand, Australia, London and Florence too.” Festin himself is from California and says growing up there was no real Filipino community. The revival of tattooing allows Filipino’s to reconnect with a culture and with their ancestors says Festin.
“There was nobody really doing it anymore so we had to learn from watching videos and reading books. There was a lot of research on what symbols meant what and what our family symbols were. We mostly just practiced on each other or ourselves,” He points to a small design on his thigh where another member is still preparing. “That’s from the first time I ever practiced.”
To the Filipino’s who give and receive tattoos through “stick and poke”, this is how they are connecting with their ancestors. By using their symbols and patterns they are rewriting out stories from the past, says Festin. As he put it, each time you hear the stick hit the poker it is the artist knocking on the door to the spirit world. The act of getting the tattoo is meant to be a journey, something the receiver earns. In other words it is meant to hurt, and you are meant to take it.
Although the members who started the revival have had success in bringing the art form back from the brink of extinction, they have had to make a few modifications. “We compromised,” as Festin put it. The traditional bones and thorns that made up the poker have been replaced by sterile interchangeable needles. The artists are required to wear gloves. And the stick and poker are sometimes subbed out for a less traditional modified tattoo gun, (all the pain, just a lot faster).
The rebirth started with ten members researching and practicing, but now the community stands strong at around 350 members. Festin smiles, and I leave, he was about to start on yet another spiritual journey, the modified tattoo gun buzzes to life in the background.