Bilum
A bilum is a traditional mesh bag from Papua New Guinea .
Bilums be from plant materials or wool in needle binding technology produced. A thread is twisted by hand from plant fibers or colored wool, from which the bag is made by knotless intertwining with itself. In Papua New Guinea, the figure of eight or hourglass devouring is mostly used, a variant of the stitch that belongs to the technique of repeatedly imposed devouring. The bags are mostly made by women.
Bilums come in many designs, colors and sizes. Their origins from the various regions of Papua New Guinea can often be recognized by the design and the colors. A more modern variant are bilums made of colored, synthetic or cotton yarn, whereby bright colors are often used. Bilums are worn by women, men and children. They are used for shopping, to transport firewood, fruit and vegetables from the garden, but also for piglets, chickens and young dogs. The men carry their tools in smaller bags, often decorated with feathers, shells, seeds, dog teeth or even pig tails. Women wear the bilum hanging on their backs with the strap over their foreheads. Men carry their bilum over their shoulders or on their belts. Babies are also carried in it or hung up to sleep like in a hammock .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Ulrike Claßen-Büttner: Excursus: What is a bilum? In: Nadelbinden - What is that? History and technology of an almost forgotten handicraft . Books on Demand GmbH, 2012, ISBN 3-8482-0124-0 ( limited preview in the Google book search).