: Papua New Guinea's Iconic String BagScott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondentFirst Person - What's in a bilum? The string bag carrying Papua New Guinea's names, rules, and memoryIn Papua New Guinea, the bilum is among the most familiar objects of daily life. "For a young bride or a young girl, a special bilum called wal kupun symbolises womanhood. In the mountainous Kabwum area, everyday bilums used by men and women are known as itokat or irikat. "A bilum used for babies can never be used for anything else," says Maggie Aisaisa of the Mekeo people.