Business women in Papua New Guinea are calling on the government to put a stop to foreigners exploiting the traditional arts and crafts market.
Genuine PNG bilum bags Photo: RNZI/Melvin Levongo
They said the market had been flooded with fake bilums and t-shirts printed with cultural logos brought in by foreigners.
Many of the country's cultural artefacts are made by women who use traditional practices that they are trying to pass on to the next generation.
Two PNG women at the market selling their bilum bags Photo: RNZI/Melvin Levongo
The chief executive of the Pacifica Womens Network Shakeel Ram said the government needed to step in to protect their traditions.
"This is our custom, this is who we are. So, we'll have to demand the government to do something to make sure that our women are protected. And we feel that the government has to really step up to protect our women from being exploited by foreigners.
"We need to come collectively now and put a stop to what's going on. The women - this is their livelihood. Once it's taken, what will they live on?"
Fake bilum bags in Papua New Guinea Photo: RNZI/Melvin Levongo
