Bilum
19 July 2019
ISMAEL KUNNING
| An entry in the Crocodile Prize Award for Poetry
Wear it with pride, wherever you go.
Over your shoulder, over your head,
across your chest, around your neck
carry it with pride.
Mother to daughter, old to young,
passed on by hand, learnt by heart,
the talent within brought to life.
Hand woven, skilfully crafted, eye catching
Locally made, found nowhere else.
Made of strings, made of wool,
made of bark, made of leaves.
Twisted with fur, covered with feathers,
decorated with shells.
For work or for school
Back pack or cradle
Big or small, size fits purpose.
Dance with it, feast with it,
mourn with it, bid farewell with it
From the highlands to the islands,
the boundaries it can cross
Imprinted within is the identity,
that speaks a language
The language of a thousand tribe,
carry it with pride.
Bilum.
Ismael, the bilum may be used as a powerful metonym and a unique word to PNG. Keep thinking about it.
I like the way you described the bilum uses and fashion before naming it right at the end.
The last verse is particularly strong and the first half "Imprinted within is the identity,
that speaks a language" is one possible basis for metonymy.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 02 December 2019 at 12:11 PM