Meet Elle Festin | Tattoo Artist & Cultural Revivalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elle Festin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elle, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
26 years ago, I had a calling to explore my ancestral roots and culture. I connected with other Filipinos and in 1997 I co-founded Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon (Mark of the 4 Waves Tribe), a Filipino tattoo revival organization. At first, I was designing pieces for friends to tattoo on clients, and then in 2003 I started to practice the traditional methods of Hand-Tapping and Handpoke. For the first few years, I was tattooing out of a shop where the traditional methods were not well received. After I left that shop, like-minded Filipinos invited me into their homes to mark them. Finally, in 2010, my wife and I decided to create our own space to invite others to learn and hone this sacred practice, called Spiritual Journey Tattoo & Tribal Gallery

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Filipino tattooist specializing in ancient symbolism and cultural revival. It is my life’s mission to help others on their journey to reconnect with their lineage by wearing the same markings on their skin as their ancestors. I am most honored to be a part of others’ spiritual journeys and I look forward to continuing to spread knowledge and tradition. Getting to where I am now was not always easy because many Filipino communities still believe tattooing is taboo due to colonial mentality. So it has been a challenge to overcome these ideas and help gain momentum with the work but I wouldn’t trade it for anything because the struggle has created strength.
The one thing I want to world to know is that tattooing is an ancient and sacred tradition that has been practiced around the world for thousands of years. The idea that tattoos are for criminals, heathens, or savages is a newer concept, brought on by organized religion seeking to extinguish our identities and assimilate us into Western ideas, beliefs, and standards of beauty.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Assuming this person is not from California, I would first take them to the beach! I would try to find some live music at a local spot, like Dub Club at the Echoplex or a speakeasy somewhere around LA. I would ask if they are interested in the touristy spots because they’re a must at least once. On the weekend, I would host a gathering at the tattoo shop of our tribe, Mark of the 4 Waves and share food, knowledge, and the stories of our people.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
In 1997, I met the legendary, Aisea Toetu’u on Oahu, Hawaii. He shared with me about his journey in reviving Tongan tattoos. I was given the privilege to be mentored by him and he inspired me to study and revive the ancestral tattooing traditions from the Philippines. That led to the creation of Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon (Mark of the 4 Waves tribe), a Filipino tattoo revival organization. Over the last 26 years, we have grown to have over 480 members around the world. We have helped to revive tattoo patterns and frameworks that have not been seen in over 100 years. In addition to the work we have done for Filipino tattoo revival, we have also helped to inspire other indigenous communities to regain and revitalize their own traditional tattooing practices.
Lastly, our staff at Spiritual Journey Tattoo are the pillars of our success! We have built a family-like team and continue to support each other as we grow.

Website: spiritualjourneytattoo.com

Instagram: @spiritualjourneytattoo

Facebook: Spiritual Journey Tattoo & Tribal Gallery

Other: TikTok : @SpiritualJouneyTattoo Tribe Website : apat-na-alon-tribe.com

Image Credits
Jospeh Ash at AshPhotos