By Fabian Hakalits – EMTV News, Port Moresby
The ‘bilum’, one of Papua New Guinea’s own icons has become an attraction to many people at the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts in Guam.
PNG delegate and weaver, Hellen Pange, conducted demonstration on how the bilum is made and its uses including the different sizes and patterns.
Many people were interested to know how the bilum was made, and learnt from the demonstration conducted by our delegates
“First time, they came to the PNG stall, they didn’t have any idea, and until we did the demonstration how the bilum is made,”
The bilums were sold out, and walking around the Paseo Festival Village, you could see, a bilum attached to someone’s body.
“As a Papua New Guinean, I was very proud to display our identity,”
Another famous bilum was from the Sepik area and is a representation of ones identity.
Michael Manguan said that the bilum is a crucial source of income for PNG women, especially in the Highlands region, where some have ventured into business in the small to medium entrepreneurship or SME.
