At my table: Apo Whang-Od

The 106-year-old woman who speaks the language of skin

You’ve probably been asked before: “if you could sit around a table with five humans, alive or not, who would you invite?” At My Table, a series on extraordinary women, is a response to this question. You’ll find links to other At My Table essays at the end of this piece. Please look here for other travel-focussed stories.

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Dear NE-One

On Friday I was completely captivated by a photograph of a woman who is 106 years old. With soft skin submitting to time and grey hair swept gently away from her face, she is the image of grace, and of beauty. Chunky carnelian beads crown her head and others circle her neck, but what’s most compelling – aside from the fact that she’s on the cover of Vogue Philippine’s latest issue (another story entirely) – are the tattoos that cover her chest and arms in a delicate lace-work of pattern and shape.