What is a Bilum
Bilum is perhaps the most significant word in Tok Pisin, one of three official languages of Papua New Guinea (PNG), meaning 'womb'. Bilum is the place from which all life begins. Bilum bags are an integral part of PNG culture and a vital source of income for many women, often one of their only ways to earn independent income.
A Bilum bag is hand-woven using weaving techniques that have been passed down through many generations. A skill primarily practiced by women, Bilum weaving traditionally used natural fibers from barks of plants and shrubs, however more recently they are also being made from acrylic and wool yarn. Culturally Bilum bags are used as gifts between mothers, sons, daughters, wives, and husbands. Gifted to extended family, friends, loved ones, and new acquaintances, they are often used to signify the establishment of a new relationship, as mementos from hometowns, or as a symbol of wealth and positions in society. Used daily the Bilum bags become a functional item carrying produce from the market, transporting babies, and for ceremonial celebrations. Bilum bags form part of the rich cultural tapestry of PNG.
Our Heritage and Recycled Bilums are woven by us together with artisans in Port Moresby's informal settlements. We supply the materials and pay the weavers market value, with no bargaining and no exploitation. The Heritage pieces are bold and vibrant in the classic, well known Bilum style, while our Recycled Bilums use the same time honoured weaving technique, spun from yarn made from plastic bottles and transforming waste into bold, beautifully textured pieces of wearable art.
Alongside these, our Natural Fibre and Vintage Bilums are collected from around the country, from the Central, East Sepik and Western Provinces to the Highlands. The Natural Fibre bags are handwoven from sustainably sourced plant materials using techniques passed down through generations, while the Vintage pieces, some up to 45 years old, carry their own history long before they find their way to you.
A woman's personality, creativity, and self-expression can be seen in the use of traditional patterns, new designs, and expressive colour combinations. Bilum weaving is a proud example of PNG's creativity that has emerged from different traditions around the country, striking a harmonious balance between a global aesthetic and local culture. A powerful tool of empowerment for PNG women, Bilum weaving provides women with an important source of income. The World Intellectual Property Organization reports that 80% of Bilum weavers are illiterate with little education, many are single mothers and have limited access to healthcare, and live in inadequate conditions. The sale of Bilum weaving can have a profound effect on the lives of weavers and their families, for every 100 Bilums sold, 50 women are able to send their children to school and support their family for a year. The Bilum bag has the power to transform the lives of weavers through a creative and cultural practice that provides access to life changing income, become part of the movement today!
When you choose a Project Two Mile Bilum, you’re supporting fair pay for skilled women weavers and helping a cultural practice passed down through generations to keep thriving.
We supply the materials, so our weavers have no upfront costs, and every piece is bought at fair market value with no bargaining. The designs remain the weavers’ own, which is why no two Bilums are ever quite the same.
Each bag carries the skill, patience and creativity of the woman who made it. When you carry one, you’re carrying a piece of Papua New Guinea’s story with you.
