Bilum sales meet daily family needs

 A LOCAL woman has realised that money from the daily sales of her bilums and traditional costumes (bilas) is more than enough to meet her household’s daily needs.

Stella David, of Moim in Angoram, East Sepik, sells her bilums, traditional necklaces, hand bands, headdresses and a lot more at the crafts market at Boroko, Port Moresby.

She said she could make up to K300 a day.

“Some of the bilums and baskets are from Wewak, while we make the other items ourselves,” David said. 

She said the bilums were fashioned from a certain type of tree bark. 

The bark was pounded and the fibre processed into small strands (strings), by rolling it with hands.

The bark strings are then coloured according to the bilum design she wished to follow.

“We buy the paints in bottles from Agmark and Chemica. Some of them cost K60-K70. “Sometimes, we transfer the paints into smaller bottles and re-sell them for K5 to those who are also making bilums,

“The bilums are sold from K50 to K70 … in a day, we could make up to K300,” David said. 

She said customers would buy the items for school children, especially during independence celebrations.

 “I usually have many customers during independence celebrations. 

“I can make up to K1,000 a day, especially on days leading up to the  big day,” she said.