Aneityum

v. to spit on leaves; to chew leaves for sickness

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 56

v.n. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. sharp

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. warm on the fire (like tobacco leaves); heat

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. red (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[dama nadimi] phr. four men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

wind blowing

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. green, blue

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

adj. afraid; fright

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et elel] phr. is dripping

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et emθan] phr. he is strong

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to split leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 80

v. show

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. trees; fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 75 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #5006)

Example: The stems of this tree are used to make temporary houses and for firewood. This is one of the leaves that is used in an unspecified mixture to put in a rough sea to calm th ewaters.

Scientific name: Syzygium richii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[inhapli] n. small

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. Ocellated eagle ray

Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Aetobatus ocellatus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. night; quite dark

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. belt

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. breadfruit

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. large tree, 20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3529)

Example: 1. The inner bark of this plant is used as a general rope; peel it and weave it into rope, and use it to tie beams in the house. 2. The wood is good to start fires by rubbing two pieces together.

Scientific name: Trichospermum inmac, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4927)

Example: The wood of this tree is used as firewood. Children collect the dry fruits and use them for decorations and toys, for example playing with a fruit on the beach, driving it as if it were a toy truck or boat (photo).

Scientific name: Heritiera littoralis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inpah] n. leaves worn around head

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub. Growing in the village. Cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #26)

Example: 1a. To stay healthy while pregnant - grate 1 coconut with nekei leaves, about a handfull (8). And 8 inpa leaves and 8 niditau leaves. Pound all of this together and squeeze juice out and bath in this then jump into a clear river to wash it off. 1b. Handful of leaves mashed with grated coconut and put in a shell, heat stones and put in shell, then take hot liquid to rub on body of woman who have just delivered to make their bodies healthy again, back to normal – when they deliver they are in huts, then wash with this and then come out of the huts and rejoin family. 2. Symbolic plant for peace (name means peace). 3. Message plant – put small tips of leaves in hair or make hat out of it and people know you come in peace. 4. When giving a gift, put this leaf on the gift, as in a basket – people wear them they are happy and peaceful – it is symbolic of Aneityumese people – so even when the people leave the island they will grow this plant. 5. People bathe with this leaf, mixed with grated coconut and cover body and hair to smell good and be strong. 6. Mosquito repellant, build fire, put green leaves on top, smoke and aroma chases mosquito away. 7. Take top of leaf with 3 young leaves and put in hair as there is the belief that this plant symbolizes the trinity. So it protects people. If a person from the island goes elsewhere and is faced with black magic they bathe with a handful of leaves, boil them and bathe with the liquid to remove the spell. 8. Decorate people with this leaf day feasts, weddings, and other events – very sacred.

Scientific name: Euodia hortensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. species of banyan

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. coconut leaves for a net

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the following day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

n. Blacksaddled coralgrouper (deep sea)

Example: Photo by jidanchaomian / Flickr, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Plectropomus laevis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4914)

Example: Use the leaves to make compost to be placed at the bottom of the hole where taro is to be planted, cover with soil and grow the taro in that hole. Serves as a fertilizer.

Scientific name: Pittosporum campbellii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. a long time ago

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[kuri] n. dog (general)

Example: Photo by K. David Harrison, April 2016.

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Oriental sweetlips

Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Plectorhinchus vittatus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tree to 5 m, fdby 35 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4979)

Example: The fruits are edible and ripen during November-December. The leaves can be boiled as a medicine. If a person has a hoarse voice, boil 4 or or a few more leaves in 1 liter of water. Cool the mixture and drink once daily until the voice returns to normal. The trunk of this tree is good for timber, as it is a very hard wood. But a productive tree is not cut for timber--only the wild mangos that have flowers and small fruits that do not ripen; these trees are cut for timber. This particular tree, "Mango Amgie" bears fruit with a great deal of fiber, so the name refers to the "mango that you drink." Amgie means "drink" in the Aneityum language. There is another variety of mango, "Mango Cig" that means the mango that you eat. It has a little fiber but good fleshy fruits. This species is introduced from outside of Aneityum.

Scientific name: Mangifera indica, Speaker: Tony Keith

adj. ripe; also "metto"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

[nadimi deroʊ] phr. two men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nadimi ditij] phr. one man (there is)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. palm to 15 m tall, dbh 30 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4913)

Scientific name: Carpoxylon macrospermum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nakajaŋ a nijman] n. palm of hand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 2 m, coastal vegetation (collection: Michael J. Balick #4961)

Example: The stem of this plant is used for firewood. If a person has been drinking kava and the next morning feels hung over, they can take a handful of the leaves of this plant, crush them in cool water, and wash their face with this. This treatment will help the kava feeling to disappear.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. the beginning of cold wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4116)

Scientific name: Macodes sanderiana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3502)

Example: The young stems of this tree are used to make bows and arrows. Cut the young, straight stems, dry them and use to carve the bow.

Scientific name: Rhamnella vitiensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4752)

Scientific name: Croton insularis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nanaθ] n. shrub, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3455)

Example: Fertilizer, take fresh leaves and put in area where plant taro.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. skin, peel (of fruit)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3538)

Example: The straight young stems of this plant are used to make bows and arrows. The larger stems are used to make house posts. Excellent for coastal areas as the wood is strong. Firewood.

Scientific name: Premna corymbosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4769)

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a bamboo flute

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. withered banana leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3487)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. Edible fruits, when ripe or green, does not taste when green, but sweet when ripe. 3a. Leaves (young) are edible, for example wrap around coconut meat and eat or cook with island cabbage and other leaves, boil and add coconut milk and eat. 3b. The young leaves are edible, after boiling for 5 minutes. A piece of coconut and a pinch of salt is wrapped in the leaves and eaten. The mature leaves are used to wrap food such as pig or cow meat and cooked in an earth oven. Tie this bundle with a piece of Pandanus fiber to secure it before putting in the earth oven. 4. During big feast, use this a lot – circumcison or wedding feast, harvest leaves and wrap around meat and bake on earth oven – sometimes we cut down a whole tree to gather leaves. 5. To make men’s custom belt – split stem, peel outer bark off to take inner bark and peel it, tear end to make strap that can be tied. Dry in sun but not direct sunlight. 6. Older large trunks were burned by ancestors to keep fire going – did not need matches (lefre(?) matches) because embers would stay for days and when make a fire add smaller branches to make a flame.

Scientific name: Ficus scabra, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shark

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[neθwonomo] n. fish bones

Example: Photo by K. David Harrison, April 2016.

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 3. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3581)

Example: This plant is used to make houseposts and for firewood.

Scientific name: Pittosporum aneityense, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #21)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead. 3. To cure headaches - Someone other than the woman must prepare this. Break the top branch of netethae and remove leaves for use. Combine with the top leaves of the top branch of nelmaha. Chew the leaves and drink the juice. Do this when the sun is setting on the horizon. The woman gives the leftover fibers to the person who prepared the medicine and that person goes and throws the fibers in the direction of the setting sun. 4. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 5. Used to fight against black magic in an unspecified way. 6. Roll leaf and put in pocket for protection when walk in a new area. 7. Message plant if a land dispute – if a person puts this stem or leaf in another’s garden whom they are angry with it means go away!! 8. To treat sick people, especially who fall ill from black magic to save their life. Symptoms vary, for example a person with small boils over body,* a person chews the leaf and spits it on the sick person, 1x and then puts the branch with leaves near the sick person when they sleep – 3x (1x day) branch is ca. 25cm long. (*headache, severe)

Scientific name: Ficus littoralis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4863)

Example: Fiber: Collect the stems of this plant, peel off the outer bark, soak (ret) in seawater for 1 week, then put stone on top of it-the fibers are loosened by the retting, peel them off and hang in the sun to dry and bleach. Weave small baskets, grass skirts and other things from this fiber. When sticks are placed in areas of the sea, shells are attracted to these sticks and people can collect the shells used for adornment--the animals in the shells like to eat the material on the sticks. Dried fruits of this plant are eaten by birds.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3273)

Scientific name: Astronidium aneityense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[neplaroʊ] n. April (lit. between good and bad weather month)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. sugarcane

Example: Photo by K. David Harrison, April 2016.

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a species of fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. a meteor; also "nidil"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. a top of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. tree to 4 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4936)

Example: The leaves are used to cover earth ovens when cooking big fish or taro.

Scientific name: Cleidion neoebudicum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub, 1-1. 25 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3591)

Example: The fruits of this species are edible when ripe (black) and are very sweet. It grows in the white grass area in the open. It is "numba one" fruit. If a person eats a lot of these it turns their tongue reddish-purple.

Scientific name: Vaccinium macgillivrayi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[niʧinɛθoʊn] n. knee

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. moss

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[nohos anu ziland opuah] n. kind of banana (gray sp. from New Zealand)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nohos umangi] n. kind of banana (big, from somewhere else)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. cycad to 3 m tall, 25 cm dbh (collection: Michael J. Balick #5010)

Example: In the past there were no toys for the children, so people made toys from the seed of this plant. They peeled the fruit, took the seed, removed the inside, punched one hole on each side, put a string through each of the holes and twisted the string to spin the seed such that it would make a whistling sound as the fruit spun faster and faster. On Palm Sunday, people use this leaf in Church. People plant this cycad around their homes and use it as an ornamental. Some people believe that having this plant around their homes will keep the bad spirits away.

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. the red star, the "hand" in the constellation Orion; also "necye"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte on Syzygium tree, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. old fruits. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3660)

Example: Put several leaves of this species together to wrap food, especially the fresh water eel, and to carry plants of taro, kava, holding the leaves over one’s shoulder to carry these crops. Used as a baby’s remedy for when the baby is crying too much because the parents are having to much sex. The baby will also be slow to grow and be thin. To remedy this, must wash the baby with the following mixture: nekei atimi (bark), nohos atimi (green skin of the stem), nepnatimi ataman (part not specified). Scrap about 1 inch cubed of the nekei atimi into your hand along with 1in x 4in of the first layer of the green skin of the banana stem (nohos atimi), and the top 8 leaves from about two separate branches of the nepnatimi ataman. Bind all ingredients together and pound them and put everything in the baby’s water for bathing. Wash the baby in water made with this mixture. Do not wipe the baby dry but let it air dry. The next day when you wash the baby with soap, you must re-wash them with the mixture again. Do this for 5 days with the same water mixture. It may small bad but that is okay. Finally on day 5, take the juice from the outter layer of skin on the stem of the banana, nohos atimi, and give a full spoonful of the juice to the baby to drink. Other plants can be added to the bathing water but these are the three primary ingredients.

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. epiphyte on tree trunk, growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3290)

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3624)

Example: Use the wood of this plant for roof rafters.

Scientific name: Syzygium myriadenum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. first quarter of the moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

n. a kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. the seed of breadfruit that is not firm

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. sweet potatoes

Example: Photo by K. David Harrison, Dec. 2018, Aneityum island.

Speaker: Romario Yaufati