In Traditional Simbu Bilas

By Zoë Mackenzie

Before any of you have a chance to nag me for cultural appropriation or something you should know that a member of the Kia clan in Simbu (my new host) asked if they could dress me up in their beautiful traditional bilas (wear) and had it all ready for me this morning before I even woke up

This particular set of bilas is over 95 years old!!!!! It has been passed down generations in Linda’s family and will soon be given to her daughter. Women of the clan would wear this in marriage ceremonies, festivals, and at the ending mark of their first menstruation, as a sign of womanhood.

The headdress is HEAVY and has roughly 50 big feathers that are inserted one by one with lots of care to create the look you see. There are both male and female bird of paradise (the country bird) feathers, parrot feathers, hornbeak feathers and many more. The shirt is made from the skin of a cuscus animal (think big opossum, but cuter?) and the skirt is fur also from the cuscus woven together into long locks. Around my neck is several kina shells, and some pig teeth but they’re kind of hiding in these pictures.

Today was the best. And I only had a minor headache after wearing the headdress for thirty minutes. These women would wear all of this, all day, singing and dancing and going on about normal life without damaging a single feather. These women are superheroes!!!
So thankful for this hands on experience!