THE ancient writing system “Baybayin” is currently thriving in the United States’ tattoo scene, and one of the driving forces behind its enormous success is Filipino tattoo artist Jeff Marinelli-Seva Quintano.
“The Baybayin revival movement that is thriving here, especially in the Bay Area, is creating a ripple effect that will inspire others to be proud of their identity. I’m really grateful to be part of that,” said Quintano, who works at the “Humble Beginnings” tattoo shop in San Jose, which he has called home since 2018 when he moved to the United States.
Quintano decided to pay homage to his Filipino roots by incorporating “Baybayin” into his designs to keep the ancient writing system alive and to educate more people about it.
The decision, he said, was inspired by the deep appreciation of the Filipino community for their roots and culture that he witnessed during his first months in the US.
“I realized that this is the community I want to serve. For me to do a better job, I felt I had to educate myself more,” said Quintano, who was a motion graphics artist in the Philippines before he pursued his passion as a tattoo artist in 2013.
As part of his decision, he did a lot of self-study about the pre-colonial writing system by reading books, watching videos, talking with other Baybayin enthusiasts and taking 1-on-1 classes under LRN Filipino. That also led him to start a workbook about Baybayin in 2019, which he released two years later.
Quintano donated 132 “Baybayin” workbooks to the Manila City Jail and the Women’s Correctional in the Philippines as part of his desire to educate more people about it.
“There’s always a ripple effect. So whatever knowledge people can get from this book will be passed on to others. That is the goal,” he said.
Quintano’s works have become a word of mouth, helping spread his clientele base across Northern California and beyond, while his designs have been showcased at various events.
The Filipino tattoo artist had his first solo exhibit at the Sentro Filipino Cultural Center in San Francisco in January, where he showcased his Baybayin tattoo. On the last day of the exhibit, he organized the first Baybayin Symposium in the US, where he invited other Baybayin practitioners as speakers.
“The Filipino community here has made a massive contribution to the revival of the script. I just hope to document that so more people can see it and know more about it,” he said.
To further spread knowledge about “Baybayin,” Quintano plans to bring the symposium to other parts of the United States to help break the stigma about tattooing and inspire others to appreciate their identity and roots.
