75 Unique Filipino Tribal Tattoos For Inspiration

Filipino tribal tattoo art is more than just body art. It's an integral part of the traditions, lifestyle, and heritage of the indigenous Filipino community.

I usually recommend the Lion Filipino tribal tattoo designs for both males and females who want to display their fierce personalities, but this is usually done by men. Most women tend to get the floral traditional Filipino tattoo design done.

Choosing a tattoo design among tons of available options can be quite difficult sometimes. That is why this list of 75 awesome Filipino tribal tattoo designs was created to ensure that you get the best tribal tattoos done.

Unique Filipino Tribal Tattoos For Inspiration

The Shoulder Filipino Tattoo Design

These bold tribal designs represent strength, pride, and honor. It's a distinctive design with intricate patterns that shows off your pride as Filipino.

The Full Sleeves Filipino Tribal Tattoo Design

In these Filipino tribal tattoo designs, you will see art done in clean black ink, which flows down from the shoulder to the wrist. The black and grey shading of the art makes the Filipino tattoo stand out.

Celestial Tribal Tattoo

Every design on the Kalinga tribal tattoo has a cultural significance, like the straight lines, which are meant to represent things of nature like trees, snakes, and so on.

If you look closely at these tattoos, you will see a sun with eight rays, and three stars. The sun's eight rays symbolize the province that led to the revolt against colonizers. Inside the sun, is a detailed geometric print that's reminiscent of a dream catcher. While the three stars represent the three principal islands in the archipelago namely, Pinay, Luzon, and mundane.

The Tribal Armband Tattoo

The arm is an amazing spot to display your love for the tribal culture. You can also add color to make this design look more appealing.

It's a distinctive detailed tribal design that tells a story based on the symbols and shapes inked on the tattoo.

The Neck Tribal Tattoo

Do you need a tattoo design that is both subtle and discrete? Then, you should get these fascinating Filipino tribal tattoos that look good on the neck.

Each of these patterns carries a distinct meaning in the tradition. These Filipino tribal tattoos are usually done by females and its symbolic of feminine beauty and fertility.

The Floral Filipino Tribal Tattoo

Looking for a way to express your love for nature? You can try out these beautiful and feminine floral Filipino tribal tattoos. It's a simple design featuring Philippines jasmine flowers, with minimal shading and a clean outline. It's a distinctive Filipino design that looks awesome anywhere.

The Filipino Tribal Tattoo Designs on The Back

If you're in search of the best Filipino tribal tattoo design, this Filipino tribal tattoo is for you. The stunning visual of the tribal tattoos is enhanced by its monochromatic layer. The back is a wonderful spot for the design. The back Kalinga tattoo always looks amazing because there is enough space on the back to make the design larger.

The design on the back is usually an amalgamation of different elements of nature and their relationship with different tribes.

The Thigh Tribal Tattoos

A simplistic thigh design is a great option if you prefer subtle Filipino tattoos. It's a tattoo style that's trendy among the ladies because it looks sexy and also signifies romance and passion.

Minimal Filipino Tribal Tattoo

The minimal Filipino tribal tattoos are a less popular style, which makes it quite difficult to bump into someone with a similar design. It's a design that tells a story and shows respect for Filipino cultural heritage. The minimal tribal tattoo can be placed on any part of the body.

The Filipino Mask Tribal Tattoos

These are unique designs. They are usually fierce designs done by warriors that symbolize strength, boldness, and courage. It's a great tattoo style to show off your Filipino roots, and also carry a little protection with you everywhere you go.

This is another design that can be tattooed on any part of the body.

The Calf Filipino Tribal Tattoo Ideas

These are beautiful detailed tribal tattoos usually done by men. It's a great Filipino tribal tattoo idea to honor your tribe and heritage. Most Filipino tribal calf tattoos are done using black and grey ink.

The Fushion Filipino Tribal Tattoo

Here's a Filipino design that features a unique twist, since the negative space is filled with black ink to create a contrast. These Filipino tribal tattoos can be merged with other styles or incorporate simple elements that flow in their own rule. It's a unique tattoo that can tell a story based on the symbols and shapes added to the design.

The fushion tribal tattoo and the Celtic tribal tattoos are often similar in designs but largely vary depending on the area.

The Lion Filipino Tribal Tattoo

Animals are an important theme in Filipino tribal tattoo designs. This is because they play an integral part in the tradition. If you are in search of a lion design with a touch of tribal art, then this design is definitely for you.

The design features a lion inked between flowers with its intriguing looks. Each pattern carries a symbolic meaning of its own. This Kalinga tattoo denotes royalty, social status, protection, or a specific clan designation of tribes. The placement of this tribal tattoo can be done on any part of the body that will provide a large space to ink the details.

The Text Tribal Tattoo

If you just want a simple tribal tattoo, you can go for the text instead of going for the usual tribal print. This simple and minimal tribal design has the word "gain Carlo" which is an Italian name that means 'God's gracious gift' in English.

The Ankle Tribal Design

This elaborate ankle design is an amalgamation of Filipino tribal culture symbols with Celtic tattoos, and every space is detailed with intricate patterns.

Getting this ankle art tattooed is an amazing way to show your love for your roots and lineage. The tattoo really good on both genders.

The Scorpion Tribal Tattoo

If you're looking for a tribal tattoo that will show off your fierce personality, then this design is for you. This is a Filipino tribal tattoo for warriors who are strong and don't like to be controlled or forced to do things they are not willing to.

It's a great tattoo style that can be placed on any part of the body according to your preference. It's a no-brainer that some of the best tribal designs are inspired by Kalinga tribal tattoos which are popular among guys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Kalinga Tattoo?

The Kalinga tattoo is also known as Batok is a thousand-year-old tattooing tradition that's a bit painful compared to the modern method. The ink used for the Kalinga tattoo is made from indigenous materials. A mixture of charcoal and water is mixed inside a coconut shell, which is then pierced into the skin with a sharp thorn needle from Calamansi trees. These designs are inspired by nature, geometric figures, and natural animals like snakes, eagles, centipedes, etc.

The Kalinga tattoo ideas are either linear or circular. The linear design is placed on either the legs, arms, or wrists. While the circular is placed on the neck, back, and forearm. For the men, the tribal tattoo represents courage and a stage of being a Kalinga warrior. While for women they symbolize maturity, fertility, and beauty.

What Do Tattoos Symbolize In the Philippines?

The Filipino way of tribal tattooing comes from Spanish conquistadors during the 1500s. The bold and traditional tattoo design represents human ethnicity and the symbolism represents the style of bravery and courage.

Are Tattoos Common In The Philippines?

Tattoos are quite common since they represent Filipino heritage and culture. They were also prominent features among the pre-Hispanic tribe of the Philippines. There are no laws against getting a tattoo in the Philippines. Most shops follow safety precautions set in place by the department of health.

Do Filipinos Have Tribal Tattoos?

Yes they do. Classic Filipino designs don't contain a lot of elaborate imagery but there are symbols of meaning in every design. There are many known traditional Kalinga designs which are known as Burik. They are incorporated in a complex intricate pattern that uses several layers and designs by using natural resources such as trees, rivers, and rocks.