BILUM AND BILAS KALEA BASKET

Hand made carry basket of unlined woven string with 10 cm rapa tassells & leather handle.
Bilum and Bilas create their beautiful jewellery & accessories in Papua New Guinea, employing local women using traditional methods. Bilum is the name of the woven bags in which the New Guineans carry their babies & bilas is the word for decoration or adornment (jewellery)
The bilums are made from the natural fibre of the rapa plant which is harvested, cut, stripped rolled & twisted to form the "string". It's then crocheted & woven to its final form. This technique is also used in the creation of their bilas.