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The Traveling Tattoo
Artist
By Elz Cuya
Tattoo artist Aleks Figueroa spends many hours of the day permanently
staining people's skin with art, but he admits he doesn't always
know what he's doing. Now, he's on a mission to find out. "I want
to understand the history of tattooing," Aleks says. "I'm a part
of something, and I want to know what it is."
Aleks specializes in alibata, an indigenous Filipino script,
and his business is growing tremendously. "There's a whole generation
of Filipino Americans who want alibata tattoos," Aleks says.
"It draws a parallel between themselves and their heritage...and
besides, it looks really cool." But there's still something missing.
There's very little documentation to be found on the history of
tattooing. And this didn't work for Aleks. "I'm the kind of person
who needs to know fully what I'm doing. When I do something, I need
to do it completely."
So he ventured to Thailand to study the ancient practices of Thai
tattooists, using eighteen-inch needles to stain the skin with ink.
He also did research in Hawaii to interview members of the first
generation of Filipino-American tattoo artists. Next, he plans to
visit the Philippines to witness the traditional forms of tattooing,
where mountain people pierce the skin with bone and squid ink.
"Tattooing is an art form like no other. It is obscure, the permanent
staining of the skin, it involves pain, and it can mean so many
things, camaraderie, bravery, love, and remembrance of a lost one."
Now in his second year of research, Aleks says, "I want to accurately
document the history of Filipino tattooing, so that future generations
will know what we don't know." "Plus, I'd like to know,"
Aleks laughs.
To contact Aleks, email tulisan@bigfoot.com.
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