#155 - Khin Ohiman - The Power of Shamanism: Answers Beyond the Physical World

Khin Ohiman is a Filipino tattoo artist and owner of Wild Jasmine Tattoo Studio, whose work and personal journey bridge history, spirituality, and art. Khin’s story highlights not just tattooing as an artistic practice, but as a vessel for ancestral wisdom, hidden traditions, and the ongoing evolution of Filipino identity.In the Bisayan region of the Philippines, spirituality takes on a unique and rebellious form, blending Catholicism with remnants of pre-colonial beliefs. Despite the country’s predominantly Christian identity, ancestral traditions like dream interpretation, card reading, and intuitive practices continue to thrive quietly, often existing side-by-side with symbols of Jesus and Mary. These blended rituals, passed down through families, show the resilience of indigenous spirituality, even in the face of centuries of colonial suppression.The Pulahan, a revolutionary religious group from the late 1800s, embodied this resistance both spiritually and politically. Known for their shamanic practices, protection rituals, and the iconic bolo knife, they fought Spanish oppression not just with weapons but with knowledge, amulets, and sacred prayers. Hidden wisdom like orasyons, novenas, and the crafting of charms such as habak and lumay was preserved through whispers, rituals at home, and oral traditions that ensured the ancestors’ voices would not be silenced. These practices remain alive today, carried forward through both faith and defiance.Tattoo amulets dating back to the Spanish colonial era reveal another layer of this spiritual and cultural survival. Tattoos were more than skin art, they were protective symbols, words of power, and living prayers etched into the body. Even now, tattoos act as sigils of intention: a script reminding someone to let go, a semicolon offering hope in struggle, or designs that ground people in resilience and devotion. For Khin, incorporating traditional Filipino symbolism into modern tattoos means respecting their origins while empowering people to create their own protective and meaningful marks, bridging ancient practices with contemporary self-expression.In closing, Khin’s work and reflections remind us that spirituality and art are deeply intertwined in the Philippines’ history. Despite colonial oppression, hidden knowledge and ancestral practices endure, finding new life through shamans, prayers, charms, and tattoos. These traditions are not relics of the past, but living testaments of resilience, creativity, and purpose. Through her craft, Khin continues to honor this legacy, helping others carry their intentions and identities proudly on their skin.KEEP IT LONG TERM!