(A poem about bilum in Tok Pisin - one of the PNG's national language widely spoken)
Mak blong Madang em wanpla
Mak blong Sepik em natapla
Na ol Goroka tu igat mak
Na blo Hagen em no wankain
Olsem blo ol Mendi.
Yu laik save yu yet baim na karim
Yu laik filim yu ken karim wanpla
Em no hevi olsem saksak long karim
Em no hevi olsem taro long karim
Em no hevi olsem kaukau long karim
Em no hevi olsem stone long karim
Yu traim bai olgeta stail bai pinis
Kainkain kala na mak i pinis long skin
Ol han i wokim em i gat bikpla nem
Na save blo ol i winim olgeta
Na mekim kamap bilum
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| Madang designed bilums owned by a woman from Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province. Image: Elizabeth Bonshek / 2007. |
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| Highway bilum made and owned by a woman from Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province. Image: Elizabeth Bonshek / 2007. |
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| Pawa Post bilum made by a woman from Goroka and owned by a woman from Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province. Image: Carolyn M Doa / 2017. |
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| A girl proudly with her Madang style bilum. Image: Kay Chee / 2017. |
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| Wasara Sepik bilums on sale in Port Moresby. Image: Jen Jen on PNG Kona Market / 2017. |
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| A bilum from Lake Kopiago, Southern Highlands Province. Image: Felix Talira / 2017. |
- Poem extracted from the book "Twisting Knowledge and Emotions: Modern Bilums of Papua New Guinea" edited by Nicolas Garnier. The University of Papua New Guinea, 2009.
