Among Equals and the Enduring Art of the Bilum
There are objects made to be useful, and others made to carry meaning. In Papua New Guinea, the bilum has always done both. Loop-woven by hand and worn close to the body, these bags have long served as carriers of food, children, harvests and stories. Through the work of not-for-profit organisation Among Equals, the bilum is also becoming a powerful expression of female agency, cultural continuity and ethical exchange.
The Among Equals Blue Haus in Papua New Guinea, a safe space built in 2017 for the Goroka weavers. Photo: Hannah Scott- Stevenson.
Founded in 2015 by Caroline Sherman, Among Equals grew out of encounters with bilum-weaving communities in Goroka. Struck by the ingenuity of the technique and the confidence of colour, Sherman also recognised the lack of fair economic opportunity available to the women producing these culturally significant objects. From the outset, the organisation was shaped through long-term relationships and attentive listening, building a model grounded in respect, shared decision-making and economic dignity.
A loop-woven Among Equals bilum bag in the process of being handmade.
Today, Among Equals works with more than 3,000 women across some of the most remote regions of Papua New Guinea, including the Highlands, the Sepik River and Telefomin. Each bilum is made using a knotted netting technique — often mistaken for knitting — that is passed down matrilineally and mastered over years of practice. Fibres may be sourced directly from surrounding vegetation, such as pandanus or sisal, or created from unravelled wool, before being hand-dyed with plants, berries and natural ochres. The process is slow and physically demanding, and no two bags are ever the same.
Among Equals Spring/Summer 2021. Photo: Hannah Scott- Stevenson.
Motifs woven into bilums are deeply personal. Some reference landscape — zigzags for mountains, chevrons for rivers — while others carry symbolic or emotional meaning, including dreams, memories or affirmations of strength. Each piece becomes both a functional object and a textile record of lived experience.
Among Equals pays a premium for every bilum and reinvests all profits back into PNG communities, extending the impact beyond individual makers to families and wider networks. Alongside trade, the organisation supports weaver-led training programmes guided by Florence Jaukae Kamel, known as Bilum Meri, focusing on leadership, quality and market readiness to ensure the tradition can continue to evolve on its own terms.
Lina Mamari bilum tote from Among Equals
To celebrate this work, we are pleased to offer readers the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Lina Mamari bilum tote from Among Equals, worth £203. Woven by artisan Lina Singu, this particular bag was made using naturally sourced fibres including sisal and pandanus, which are harvested, pounded, twisted, naturally dyed and woven by hand. Income from Lina’s bilum-making has enabled her to purchase land, build a house and support her son’s education — a powerful reminder that each bilum carries not only skill and cultural knowledge, but the means to help shape a future
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Further information:
Read more in AMONG EQUALS: Woven allyship in Papua New Guinea, featured in Selvedge Issue 128, Routes.
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Image credits:
Lead: Among Equals Spring/Summer 2021. Photo: Hannah Scott- Stevenson.
All further images as credited in photo captions