bilum

A bilum is not just a bag 

Here in Papua New Guinea (PNG)  a bilum is a cultural icon, inextricably woven into the social and cultural fabric of our  country. People write songs and poems about their bilums. They are tokens of love, reminders of home, holders of magic and symbols of wealth and position. For many they are memories of lost childhoods - most babies in the Highlands sleep comfortably in a Bilum rather than a cradle or are carried in one on their mother's back.
We have tried to convey some of this through these web pages.