Papua New Guinea & Melanesia: String Bags and Forest Songs

In the lush, dense rainforests and island communities of Papua New Guinea and Melanesia, babywearing is a practice of deep practicality and profound cultural meaning. Here, carrying a baby means introducing them to the rhythms of forest life, clan identity, and the heartbeat of the land from the very start.

In Papua New Guinea, the iconic bilum — a handwoven string bag made from natural fibers — is used to carry everything from harvested crops to sleeping babies. Mothers sling bilums over their foreheads or across their shoulders, resting the baby high on their back or against their chest. The gentle motion soothes infants, while the closeness fosters strong emotional bonds and a sense of belonging to the wider clan and land.

The art of making bilums is an intergenerational craft and an act of storytelling. Patterns and weaving techniques vary across language groups and regions, with colors and motifs often symbolizing family lineage, local flora and fauna, and spiritual protection. Weaving a bilum is a labor of love, patience, and community connection — each knot and loop a quiet message to the child being carried.

Across Melanesia, which includes Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia, cloth wraps and string carriers are also common. In these communities, babies are held close as caregivers fish, farm, and gather food, participating in daily life as active, cherished members of the group. The closeness allows babies to absorb language, song, and social cues, while elders often sing or tell stories as they work, weaving the child into the oral traditions of the community.

Despite pressures from modernization and colonial disruptions, many families in Papua New Guinea and Melanesia continue to carry babies in bilums and wraps, proudly preserving these practices as vital expressions of cultural identity and resilience.

To be carried in a bilum or woven cloth is to sway with the forest songs, to feel the warmth of the sun through the leaves, and to hear the ancestral stories that shape each child’s sense of self and place. It is to be held in a living cradle of earth, family, and tradition.

Papua

In this striking photograph, a Korowai mother from Papua, Indonesia, carries her young child using a traditional woven bark sling. The sling is looped over her shoulder and across her chest, holding the child securely against her side in a semi-seated position.

Both the mother and her children wear traditional grass skirts, reflecting the Korowai people's close connection to their forest environment and their traditional ways of life. The simple, minimal clothing and natural materials showcase deep-rooted cultural practices that prioritize functionality, comfort, and a strong bond with nature.

Papua New Guinea

This extraordinary image shows a mother from Papua New Guinea carrying her baby in a traditional bilum, a hand-woven string bag made from plant fibers. Worn across the shoulders or forehead, the bilum gently cradles the baby against her back, allowing closeness, security, and hands-free movement. In Papua New Guinea, bilums are much more than bags — they are a powerful symbol of motherhood, resilience, and connection to the land. Every stitch reflects ancestral knowledge and resourcefulness, showing us that babywearing practices, no matter how simple, are deeply woven into the cultural and spiritual fabric of each community."

West Papua

In this striking photograph, a Yali woman from the highlands of West Papua, Indonesia, carries her baby in a traditional woven net bag known as a noken. The noken, crafted from strong plant fibers, is worn across the forehead, allowing the large netted bag to hang down the back and hold precious loads — in this case, her sleeping child, carefully cushioned with cloth.

The woman’s attire includes a fiber waist covering (often called a penis gourd or koteka for men, and a grass skirt or fiber skirt for women), reflecting traditional Yali clothing practices closely tied to their forest-dwelling lifestyle.

Noken bags hold deep cultural significance in Papua. They symbolize resilience and connection to the land, and their use for baby carrying embodies the Yali people's emphasis on adaptability and closeness. This image beautifully captures the enduring skill and care involved in traditional child-carrying methods of the Yali community.

Papua New Guinea

In this vibrant image, a Tolai woman from East New Britain, Papua New Guinea, carries her baby in a woven bag known locally as a bilum. The bilum, made from strong, hand-twisted fiber or yarn, is carried from the head, allowing the bag to hang against the woman's back. This deep, stretchy netted design cradles the baby securely and flexibly, adjusting naturally as she moves.

Bilums are a central part of life for many Papua New Guinean women, used to carry everything from sweet potatoes and firewood to precious children. The colorful patterns often reflect clan or regional identity and personal expression.

This image beautifully highlights the practicality and cultural meaning of bilum carrying — a practice that embodies connection, resilience, and the ongoing role of women as both caregivers and providers in their communities.

Papua New Guinea

In this colourful scene from Papua New Guinea, a mother carries her baby in a strikingly bright bilum, a traditional handwoven string bag. This bilum is made with vivid yellow, purple, green, and blue threads, showcasing the artistic flair and individuality often expressed in these bags.

Worn over the head and hanging down the back, the bilum cradles the baby securely while allowing the mother to keep her hands free for daily tasks. The open, flexible weave adapts to the baby’s shape and movements, creating a snug and supportive nest.

Bilums are much more than carriers — they are deeply tied to cultural identity, storytelling, and community connection. Each pattern can carry personal or clan significance, and women often weave them as an expression of creativity and care. This image beautifully captures the vibrant, living tradition of babywearing in Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea

In this vibrant image, a mother from Papua New Guinea carries her child on her back using a large cloth tied across one shoulder and under the opposite arm. This traditional style of babywearing, often seen across the Pacific, allows her to keep her hands free while ensuring her child stays close and secure.

The bright blue-green cloth contrasts beautifully with her patterned dress and the lush greenery surrounding them, highlighting the warmth and vitality of daily life in this tropical setting. The child’s calm, observant expression and the mother’s joyful smile capture the deep connection and mutual trust between them.

Papua New Guinea

In this intimate portrait, a mother from Papua New Guinea holds her child close using a simple cloth sling draped over one shoulder. The bright, tie-dyed fabric supports her child snugly against her chest, allowing the little one to rest securely while she moves through the market.

The mother’s calm, steady gaze contrasts with the bustling background, creating a moment of quiet focus and connection amid daily activity. Her child's head rests peacefully on her shoulder, emphasizing the comfort and reassurance this close contact provides.

This style of carrying — a straightforward piece of cloth tied or knotted to create a sling — is common in Papua New Guinea and many parts of the Pacific. It reflects a practical, deeply relational approach to caregiving, enabling mothers to continue their work while keeping their children comforted and protected.

Papua New Guinea

In this vibrant photograph, a mother from Papua New Guinea stands against a striking yellow and blue wall, carrying her child in a traditional cloth sling. The deep purple fabric is looped over her shoulder and tied securely, cradling her child close to her side while allowing freedom of movement.

The mother’s patterned dress and confident smile reflect her pride and warmth, while her child peers out with a calm, watchful expression. This simple but effective carrying method illustrates the strong bond between mother and child, ensuring both comfort and connection.

A note of gratitude and respect

We respectfully acknowledge and honor the individuals and communities depicted in historical images throughout this series. Many of these photographs were taken in times and contexts where informed consent as we understand it today was not sought or given, and some may have been created through coercion or exploitation.

We share these images with the deepest gratitude, not to romanticize or objectify, but to recognize and celebrate the strength, resilience, and wisdom of these cultural practices. We hold these ancestors and knowledge holders in our hearts and aim to represent their traditions with integrity, humility, and care.

We commit to continuing to learn, listen, and uplift the voices of contemporary community members and descendants, and we welcome guidance on the respectful sharing of these images.