Goroka, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia
Accession Date:
17 May 2017
Collection Date:
16 Jan 2011
Notes:
Bilum made of yarn, looped with a tight figure eight loop. The body of the bag is beige with a large representation of the flag of Papua New Guinea, almost centered, but slightly to the right on both sides of the bag. The flag portrays a yellow bird of paradise in a field of red on the left and a navy blue field with 5 four pointed white stars (all the same size) on the right. Most of the design is woven into the body of the bilum, but the bird and the stars are slightly raised, and appear to have been stitched in (embroidered) later. The flag is bordered in yellow, red, and navy blue. An area to the left of the flag is looped with an openwork pattern. Single handle, beige with two sets of orange, red, and black stripes.
Donor notes: Cost, 30 kina. "Made by Etopawe Lakei (approximately 60 in age) from the Mogavo clan of the Bena in the Eastern Highlands."