What is Bilum and How it is Made

A bilum is a string bag made by hand in Papua New Guinea. The bag can be made by a process known as looping or knotless netting [1] or by crocheting. Traditionally, the string used was handmade, normally from plant materials. Now, however, many people who can afford to do so make their bilums from store bought yarn and string.

Bilums are used to carry a wide range of items, from shopping goods in large bilums to personal items in purse-sized varieties. Mothers often carry their babies in bilums.

Whilst the traditional method of making bilums using woven plant reeds is still widely spread across Papua New Guinea, many villagers are now finding it easier to use wool-based yarns to make their bags. This allows a greater diversity of color schemes to be incorporated into the making of the bilums, and as a result they are more highly sought after, due to their highly visible and different patterns and color combinations.

Local men usually prefer to use long handle styles so they can be worn over the shoulder, freeing their arms for more important issues, like carrying important bush knives or to grab onto things while hiking mountains. Women often prefer the short handled versions that they can sling across their foreheads to carry greater loads, such as babies and/or large quantities of foodstuff (yams/potatoes/kau-kau etc.)

Either way, there is now a definite swing to the more vivid color/patterning styles that afford the bearer to be more distinctive in making his/her fashion statement.

The concept of bilums are very marketable overseas, and a French company has registered Bilum as a trademark, which it uses for its lines of bags made from recycled building fronts giant advertising sheets, car seatbelts and airbags, and other plastic materials.

They come in different patterns, each pattern resembling certain tribe or clan. More complex and specific patterns are made for carrying during public appearances or displayed during the ceremonial events. The special ceremonial events include yam festivals, tambuan dances, bride price payment, dead compensation and butter system between the river people and the inland wosera people. The complex patterns are of inheritance and only very few ladies in a village possess those inherited talents. The Wosera people are the only tribe that maintains the originalities of the bilum patterns and treasures the complexity of their inherited patterns and its the only significance of that area.

The bilum concept has spread quite quickly down to the coast and then up to the Highlands in the last decade especially when women in noncircular business identified bilum making as a source of regular income. In the highland region they have extended the bilum concept to make bilumwares especially bilum dresses and skirts. The bilumware is now becoming common during school graduation dressings. Bilumware is now marketable to Papua New Guinea citizens living overseas.

How to Make Bilum

One thing you will likely notice upon arriving in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is that the majority of people are carrying around bright, woven bags called “bilums.” These bags are made all over the country, although in different styles and patterns, and are worn by men and women (and children!) alike.

Bilums come a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be made of traditional string (made from plants, and sometimes featuring some fur), yarn (probably the most popular), or synthetic string (great for fishing or carrying wet loads).  Now you can even get a smaller “cell phone version” which you wear around your neck and is the perfect size to carry your cell phone!

They can be worn on the shoulder, horizontally across the shoulder, over the neck hanging across the chest, or even on the head (with the load on the neck/back).  You will see them used as purses to carry personal items but also to carry food and even babies!

Bilums are also given as gifts—I was given almost a dozen during my last week in PNG.  It is a way to show visitors “we care about you and are thankful you came” and is truly moving to receive a handmade bilum.

And now you can make your own!

Materials

A piece of card

Crayon

Some string

Scissors

Glue

Markers

Pipe cleaners (for older kids)

Instructions

For Younger Kids

Draw a bilum shape on the card, and then cut pieces of string.  Glue on the bilum shape in whatever patterns you desire, and decorate as you wish!

While you are doing this craft with your child, you may like to talk about how each culture has special items and crafts they feel proud of and love to share with the world. What is an item from your cultural background you would like to share with others?

For Older Kids

Older kids may like to try this slightly more complicated version of a bilum craft.  Simply cut a billum shape out of cardboard, make holes with the tip of some scissors and give your child pipe cleaners or yard to string through as they please!  I found the best length of the bilum was slightly longer than a standard Crayola marker.  This enabled one pipe cleaner to make it through a whole line of holes.

Pipe cleaners are easier for little hands to use whereas yarn will provide more flexibility for older children.  Depending on the age, you can even make the holes very close together so they can do quite a bit of threading.  After they have a design with string they can use markers to fill in any gaps to decorate the rest of the bilum.  If you would like to browse pictures to get ideas of patterns before doing this activity, go here .

I hope you had fun seeing this simple bilum craft from Papua New Guinea!

The author of this post, Chelsea from Veritable Treasure, is running a series of posts about introducing the country of Papua New Guinea to children in an effort to raise funds for a teacher training in Papua New Guinea she has organized for September 2013.  She will be randomly selecting two fundraiser participants to receive a copy of Beautiful Rainbow World, a lovely CD from Daria Music. If you give any amount to the fundraiser please make a comment on THIS POST simply informing us that you donated and your name will go into the drawing to receive one of the two copies of Beautiful Rainbow World. Any amount great or small is much appreciated!  To learn more about the fundraiser she is holding for a teacher’s training in PNG and to donate please visit this page.

To check out the other posts in the series, which will give you some more background about the Papua New Guinea (including pictures of children!), as well as information about the fundraiser for the teacher’s training, go to this page to find the series.

Source: Wikipedia  + www.incultureparent.com