Jaukae Bilum: Fashion meets tradition in Papua New Guinea

These woven bags show the culture and artistry in Papua New Guinea. Bilum is a fabric transformed into carrying sacks, based on traditional know-how passed down through the generations. In 2002, Florence Jaukae founded Jaukae Bilum Products, a fashion design firm that is updating the use of bilums. In the Tok Pisin language, bilum means “womb” – an homage to the origin of life. Florence is also the founder and director of the Goroka Bilum Weavers Cooperative, a collective empowering women in Goroka to weave and sell bilums. The cooperative provides income to some 1,000 women throughout Papua New Guinea, promoting traditional knowledge and spreading the history and culture of Papua New Guinea across the globe.