No.1 Neighbour: Art in Papua New Guinea 1956-2016

101 STRONG WOMEN №1 NEIGHBOUR FLORENCE JAUKAE-KAMEL Kalibobo 2010 Goroka BilumWeavers making Kalibobo in sunset kalas ( Kalibobo in sunset colours ), Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province / Photograph: Ruth Choulai PP.102–3 The bilum weaving is approximately 10 metres in length / Photograph: Ruth Choulai Completed in eight weeks by a group of ten weavers under Jaukae-Kamel’s leadership, technical difficulties resulting from the differences in the individual skill of weavers were addressed by each weaver temporarily adjusting their twist and weave tension to produce a beautifully uniform object. The end result, Kalibobo in sunset kalas ( Kalibobo in sunset colours ), adorned the Happy Talk House for the duration of Art & About Sydney, and was seen by the thousands who visited Hyde Park. 5 1 The landmark memorial Kalibobo Lighthouse is located at the entrance to Madang Harbour and commemorates the coast watchers who aided the Allies during World War Two. 2 Florence Jaukae-Kamel, personal communication with the author, 15 September 2009. 3 The annual ‘Maketi Ples’ exhibition is an initiative of Pacific Islands Trade & Invest. 4 Florence Jaukae-Kamel’s bilum dress Kalibobo 2010 was subsequently featured in the Gallery’s ‘Threads: Contemporary Textiles and the Social Fabric’ exhibition (2011), alongside bilum products created by Cathy Kata. 5 Happy Talk featured talks, workshops, artwork commissions and performances by Pacific artists in the spring of 2011; Happy Talk House was located in Sandringham Gardens in Hyde Park, Sydney.