The Bilum of Papua New Guinea

It is evident in PNG's prehistory period that people gathered a variety of items for survival, settling at one place, and begun developing primitive ideas suitable for domestication-the beginning of bilum-making concept.

PNG plants naturally and wildly grow in the country's tropical environment (on both coastal and higher altitudes) while others are nurtured. Distinct plants are used by different traditional societies. Fibers are extracted from barks of these plants.

Dye-producing plant species found in local environment vary in different traditional societies. Some of these plants like the turmeric as shown are grown in gardens and homes for easy access and usage.

Extracted fibers are sun-dried for half or whole day depending on the type of fiber. Fiber is either hung or laid on a flat surface--both methods are accepted.

Vibrant yellow color for dying is extracted from turmeric plant. It is a common color used for bilum and grass skirt-making. The main traditional colors are red, white, black, and yellow; supplementary colors are also used.

Color stored fiber is well dried and stored as fiber storage for bilum making. They easily accessed when needed for the type of bilum the weaver intends to make. Current generation of weaver used the main colors for traditional bilum weaving.

Process of bilum making includes fiber arrangement done to determine the type of bilum feature the weaver intends to weave. The combination of fiber and color determines the traditional bilum piece and the flavor.

The dried stored fiber is specifically selected by the weaver for specific bilum type. Different fiber texture is selected without blending to give the essence of the completed traditional bilum piece. Fiber blending is avoided.

This is the template structure of common Sepik bilum with different parts to be put together. It has standard layers including common colors, straight line patterns, and the number of used ropes. This maintains the strong identity of the common features of the popular Sepik sacred bilum.

These are main features of the popular sacred Sepik bilum designs and patterns. With names in Buki Arapesh dialect, these pieces depict the most sacred traditions, cultural values, rituals for harvest and festivals, leadership status, and prestige in a traditional social system.

Sacred Bilum

Only elder women weave sacred bilum using fine twisted ropes. The structure of this bilum varies according to climate condition and environment setting. Variations of the bilum are determined by the features of the identities of indigenous tribes, ethnic traditions, and cultural values.

North Wosera Bilum

The North Wosera bilums are found among the South Abelam people scattered on the low hills of Sepik plains of Maprik, East Sepik Province. The colors and pattern in layers and variations are distinct features in the common Sepik bilum.

Yamuk Bilum

The Yamuk bilum is transmitted by Kapmakundi people of Wosera Gawi in East Sepik Province. It has two main features: the use of common colors and variations in patterns and designs. The Yamuk bilum occupies a distinct cultural space in the Kapmakundi society.

West Sepik Bilum

The West Sepik bilum is a combination of pure white pieces woven by women for various purposes. Different traditional societies of West Sepik have common features such as big bilum handles, single or double bilums, and white being the dominating choice of color of fiber.

Madang Bilum

The Madang bilum represents different societies of Madang Province, which is differentiated by its structure, colors, patterns, and designs.

Morobe Bilum

The Morobe bilum pieces are found in different traditional societies of Morobe Province. Their features (such as colors, designs, and patterns) are very common. While they serve different purposes, they occupy a distinct cultural space in whichever traditional society that owns them.

Goroka Bilum

The Goroka bilum occupies the cultural spaces of pig, baby, garden, bilum wear and sacred bilums serving different purposes.

Simbu Bilum

For making a bilum wear and sacred bilum pieces, white fiber is twisted with cuscus fur to make the twisted ropes smooth and warm in cold climate in contrast to pig, baby, and garden bilums that are woven without cuscus fur. The Simbu bilum neither has any of the national colors nor pattern.

Mountain Hangen Bilum

Mountain Hagen bilum pieces are found in different traditional societies of Western Highlands Province. They have very common features in terms of colors and patterns that have distinct names in local dialects in the societies in which they are created.

S. Highlands Bilum

S. Highlands bilum has the common features in the structure with only pure white fiber in pig, baby, garden, bilum wear and sacred bilum. They have different sizes and are weaved with no designs and patterns.

Rigo Bilum

Rigo bilum pieces found in Central Province have distinct local dialect names and serve different purposes. The bilum has common features such as national colors, structure, designs, and patterns.

Safeguarding knowledge and skills in traditional bilum-making contributes to the survival of the handicraft, opening up the possibility of a good future for it and for PNG. This enables the current generation to fully grasp the correct technical and social skills to continue and the production of and pass on the distinct traditional bilum of traditional societies.

Traditional social systems have been evolved in modern society. The sacred bilum is now being used by the ordinal class individuals daily. And bilum dressing is common among school aged youth. As a valuable cultural item, the sacred bilum must be used in these activities for future generations.