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When Caroline Sherman first encountered a Bilum bag at a Sydney gallery in 2014, it was a relatively small moment that would have a significant impact. The handwoven accessory stood out not only as a beautiful feat of artistry but also as a symbol of the lives and stories behind it.
“I was immediately struck by the colour and the intricacy of the work,” she recalls.
It was then that Sherman was introduced to Florence Jaukae Kamel and Barbra Pegasa, two formidable women from Papua New Guinea who lead groups of female weavers. That chance meeting would set her on a path to founding Among Equals, a social enterprise that showcases Papua New Guinean craftsmanship and supports community through a cross-cultural creative endeavour.
“Flo and Barbra were looking to find a market for the weavers,” she explains. “We had some honest conversations around their needs, their hopes.” The women’s ambitions were clear: to provide for their families, to educate their children, and to develop skills and business acumen to build futures that were not always guaranteed. “By partnering together to create a platform for their work, it was our aim to reach an audience outside PNG… supporting the communities of women and their families to grow their industry, providing the women with a dignified path to independence through trade, not aid.”
It is this ethos that underpins Among Equals’ newest chapter, a debut collaboration with Australian designer Sarah-Jane Clarke. The limited-edition line of 60 Mamari Bilum bags is the sort of meeting of minds that feels both beautifully considered and gently radical. The bags are crafted by the Wewak weavers, an artisan collective based along the Sepik River and led by Sherman’s longtime collaborator and cultural advisor, Lina Singu, and her son, Edward.
“The Mamari bags carry tradition and craftsmanship forward, and when coupled with Sarah-Jane’s eye, we see that interesting crossover between tradition and modernity via the weavers’ craft and the romantic touches—the crafted grass flowers finished with freshwater pearls,” says Sherman.
In plum and forest-green nylon, anchored by natural sisal bases, the bags boast not just aesthetic charm but also the weight of generational knowledge. “The symbolism behind the artisans’ craft is grounded in something meaningful and deeply human, an ancient tradition passed down generations from mothers to daughters,” Sherman says. Clarke’s involvement now amplifies this message.
Known for her elegant, mindful resortwear, the Sass & Bide co-founder brings a distinctive coastal restraint to these designs, allowing the Bilum to remain the star. And of course, the collaboration extends far beyond the arm. Proceeds from the Mamari line will fund the creation of a new Blue Haus for the Wewak weavers, modelled after the first one built in Goroka in 2017. “It is a safe space, overseen by Florence, available to the women who need to seek care or refuge,” explains Sherman. “The space provides a base for training and a crucial point of connection.”
Sherman has seen its impact firsthand: cycles of gendered violence interrupted, children returning to school, and access to healthcare widening. “It is our aim to build a Blue Haus in each of the eight provinces we are connected to, and thanks to Sarah-Jane’s support, we are thrilled to be moving forward with the Wewak space.”
A bag, in the end, can be much more than a bag. In the hands of these women, they become a lifeline, a cultural vessel. Through time-honoured craft, these pieces weave the foundations for community support and autonomy.
Shop the collection or discover more about the important work going on within Among Equals and the PNG community here.
