Full title: ‘Tattoo is not a crime, it is a culture’: How a Bulakenyo artist breaks free from society’s negative notion on tattoos
By John Paolo Gatdula
Criminal.
Drug addict.
Part of a gang.
This is how society looks at tattoos for years. People glared at it full of judgment as if the design imprinted by inks and vibrating needles on the skin is a depiction of being a bad person. However, a tattooist from Malolos, Bulacan fiercely believes that tattoos are a true form of art— a part of our culture.
Salabanzie, 25, is a tattoo artist from Malolos, Bulacan. For almost three years, offering tattoo services has been his way to sustain his life.
"Bago noong nag-pandemic, ganito 'yong lifestyle ko, hanapbuhay ko. Sa street, street art. Sa bahay, home service. Saka mga walk-in client," he said.
His passion for art acts as the fuel that drives him to pursue this line of work. This becomes his avenue to unleash the creative ideas underlying his mind. At the same time, he has liberty in what he is doing. With no employer controlling him, he is the master of his work, unlike other jobs.
"Dito ko ine-express 'yong imagination ko. Ito kasi 'yong culture ko, e. Kumbaga sa art talaga. Tapos dito sa pagiging artist wala kang boss. Walang nagha-harm sa 'yo na ganito gawin mo. May oras ang trabaho ganiyan. Dito kasi hawak mo ang oras mo,” he said.
“Saka malaya ka sa sarili mong ma-express at kumikita ka. Kumbaga sustainable life. Diskarte lang, tapos makipagkapwa-tao sa bawat taong nakakasalamuha mo. Sila 'yong nagiging inspirasyon mo saka nagmo-motivate sa'yo, mga gawa mo, mga nagagawa mo sa kanilang art o tattoo."
Everything was fine before, like how ink flows smoothly from his needles.
Then, the pandemic happened.
The pandemic inflicted hardships to a lot of businesses, and so did Salabanzie’s work. His slack earnings at that time were the mark of how the pandemic had made life difficult. Yet, he didn’t give up.
“Noong pandemic, tumumal. Pero 'di ako sumuko. Ginawa ko siyang motivation sa sarili. Lumabas ako. Pumunta ako sa mga food park, sa mga ecopark, sa mga pasyalan. Doon ako nag-hustle. Doon ako nag–try. Ayon, nagclick naman siya,” he explained.
Despite the enthusiastic attitude he possessed towards his work, Salabanzie still admitted that the income was way better before the pandemic.
"Mas malakas s'yempre no’ng wala pang pandemic saka maluwag ang pera sa mga tao noon. No’ng nagpandemic kasi, halos nakaganiyan sila kapag naglabas ng pera," he described with his hands how people firmly held their money, careful of where to spend it.
After two years of lockdown, the restriction became less stern. People are now able to go outside and along with it is the gradual recovery of his profit.
“Ngayon naman mas okay kasi ngayon pa lang naglabasan 'yong mga tao, s'yempre excited sila eh. Ngayon lang sila nakalabas. Wala na kasing social distancing ngayon eh. 'Di na masyadong mataas ang lebel ng pandemic.”
Salabanzie expresses his happiness at how supportive people are in his work. Most of the time, his earnings from tattoo services are enough to suffice his needs.
“Sustainable naman sa awa ng Diyos. Support naman ang mga tao. 'Di naman na-ze-zero. 'Yon naman ang importante sakin, 'yong di na-ze-zero basta meron. 'Wag lang masayang 'yong punta ko," he said.
But life is not always a rainbow and sunshine. There were rough times when Salabanzie had not enough profit. All he did was carefully manage his money.
“Minsan, medyo bitin [ang kita]. Pero, gawa lang ng paraan. Konting tipid, konting sipag pa kapag nakakaranas ng ganoon. 'Yon lang ginagawa ko."
Meanwhile, Salabanzie discovered his love for arts back when he was in grade school. However, his hobbies were diverted when he was a teenager yet found his way again to his passion during this pandemic.
“Dati kasi no'ng bata ako nagdo-drawing ako, e. Elementary ako, sumasali ako ng mga poster making. Tapos no'ng teenager ako, iba-iba na trippings ko. Skateboarding, banda gano’n. Tapos ngayon nito ko lang ulit binalik. In-enhance no'ng nag-pandemic," he stated.
The Philippines is rich in history and culture, and a tattoo is part of it. When asked about the importance of arts and culture, Salabanzie said that it is the factors that identify us as Filipinos.
“Ang importansiya niyan ay parang dinadala natin dito 'yong traditional life and culture ng mga Pilipino lalo na 'yong mga artist na katulad nina Apo Whang-Od,” he said. “Kasama sila sa pagdadala ng ganiyang kultura dito sa bansa natin. Sa iba-iba pang bansa para mas lalo tayong makilala, ma-spread at mabawasan ang discrimination ng mga tao sa mga may tattoo.”
It is so sad that society negatively linked this kind of art with criminality. Hence, Salabanzie calls to stop tattoo discrimination.
“Ang masasabi ko lang sa kanila, tattoo is not a crime, it is a culture. Stop discrimination. Di ka naman pwede manghusga ng ibang tao kasi di mo naman alam ‘yong buhay niya," he said.
Tattoo is an art and part of our culture. Hence, society should not have a narrow perspective in this kind of art form as an ink on the skin is not enough basis to depict people as a bad person.
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TAGS: Tattoo, Stop discrimination, Bulakenyo, Malolos, Bulacan
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