Ammin Acha-ur, known to many as “the Igorot Tattoo Artist,” brought her hand-tapped tattoo practice all the way from the Cordilleras to Sorsogon. A proud Butbut from Tinglayan, Kalinga and now based in Baguio, Ammin has made it her mission to keep batok, the centuries-old indigenous tattoo tradition alive and thriving in today’s world.
She started her Sorsogon journey at Café Sigyá, where from June 23 to 27, guests filled the cozy space to learn about batok and receive tattoos infused with personal and ancestral meaning. In the evenings of June 26–27, she continued sessions at Zadiah, where people came not just for the ink but also for the stories behind each design. She wrapped up her trip on June 28 at Kapitolyo Restobar, starting early and ending late, as people lined up for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be marked by her hand.
Unlike machine tattoos, Ammin uses traditional tools and hand-tapping techniques passed down through generations.
