Tinta Buscalan in Malaybalay
An encounter between mountains, stories, and the sacred art of tattooing.
For many culture and art enthusiasts, getting inked by a mambabatok in the mountains of Kalinga or Mt. Province sits high on the bucket list — a pilgrimage of sorts. To be marked by living heritage, to carry on your skin a piece of history passed through generations, is an experience that transcends trend.
But for those who gathered at Café Affogato by Frozz Creamery in Malaybalay City, that journey didn’t require a trek through the Cordillera. It found its way south — through Batok, a two-day cultural encounter where Bukidnon met Buscalan, and tradition met today. Known for its craft coffee, homemade ice cream, and warm, community-centered atmosphere, the café transformed its space into a cultural hub.
The event opened in a quiet yet powerful rhythm. The scent of espresso filled the air while the soft tapping of ink met skin, blending two worlds — the familiar comfort of a café and the sacred ritual of tattooing. Between the hum of conversation and the steady pulse of the needle, heritage was being passed, not spoken.
The grandchildren of Apo Whang-Od, bearers of the ancient Kalinga tattooing tradition, brought with them not only skill but reverence. Their presence reminded everyone that this practice isn’t merely art — it is identity, memory, and belonging. Each line drawn carried stories of bravery, beauty, and the continuity of life.
As the day unfolded, visitors observed, asked, listened. Some chose to wear the ink; others simply chose to witness. Both acts were part of preservation. Bukidnon’s own cultural rhythm — woven in fields, in soil, in song — found resonance in Buscalan’s artistry. It felt like two mountains recognizing each other across distance.
Tinta Buscalan was not performance, but remembering. It invited everyone to slow down, to see tattoo as a vessel of meaning rather than decoration, to honor how art preserves what words cannot.
By the end of the day, the café had transformed — from a space of leisure to a space of lineage. Conversations grew softer, movements more deliberate. People lingered, as if aware that what they had just witnessed was sacred — not because of ritual alone, but because of presence, of culture meeting culture, and of stories finding form once more.
🗓 Batok runs until October 31, 2025
📍 Café Affogato, BBH Compound, Fortich St., Malaybalay City
