Highlands

Weavers Are

Flourishing

From a Mt. Hagen Correspondent The business of weaving blankets is flourishing in the New Guinea Highlands and cottage industries are springing up everywhere.

MAIN promoter of the new in dustry is Mrs. Gretchen Grainger, of Kundiawa, in the Chimbu District. She is an expert on hand weaving, having taught it at the University of New South Wales before joining New Guinea’s Depart ment of Trade and Industry.

Mrs. Grainger is training groups of weavers who return to their homes to instruct local people. Looms have now been established at Lufa, Pari, Yingam Yangamobu, Mendi, Wonenara and Mt. Hagen, There are six looms at Kundiawa.

Wool has been sent from Australia with the assistance of the Australian Wool Board, but Goroka planter Jim Leahy recently gave to Mrs, Grainger wool shorn from about 30 sheep he has raised locally.

The local people have been selling hand-woven blankets for prices rang ing from $2 to $lO, Not only is there a ready market for these blankets among the New Guineans, but they proved extremely popular with visitors to the last Goroka Show, who were keen to purchase blankets woven by the notoriously fierce Kukukuku tribesmen.

They Weave Ponchos

The Eastern Highlanders also weave ponchos, which can be worn for warmth during the daytime and used as blankets at night. Designs and colours used in both ponchos and blankets are most attractive, and the finished articles sell as much for their eye-appeal as for their utility value.

Not to be outdone, the Mul Native Local Government Council, in the Western Highlands, hopes to start a woollen blanket industry in its own area, and has arranged to send three young men to Kundiawa for a three weeks’ course in weaving. The council eventually hopes to use locally grown fleece, although it’s unlikely to eventuate for some time.

Weaving is being used for occupa tional therapy at the Togoba Hansenide Colony in the Western Highlands. Under instruction from Mrs. Jill Dawkins, who volunteers her

services, leprosy patients are weav ing woollen blankets for their own use, although it is hoped there will be a local market for these and other articles woven at Togoba, Spinning wheels and looms and imported fleece are being supplied by the Health Department and native grasses will probably be used later.

Mrs. Dawkins says the patients are remarkably dexterous and some even use their feet.

Officer-in-charge of leprosy control in the Highlands, Dr. Roger Rodrigue, is pretty pleased with the results of

this innovation in rehabilitation treatment at the hospital, and hopes that it will be extended to other centres in the area. He said that weaving could also later provide an occupation, and possibly a cash in come, for discharged patients whose deformities prevent them from work ing their gardens.

Whatever the reasons, there seems no doubt the Highlands weaving in dustry will catch on, and that it will be immensely practical in this region where nights are frequently bitterly cold.