Aneityum

v. cover

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.a. pass over or through a country

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. climb

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go down

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v.n. go though, as the land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

[ala] num. five

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.n. to cross over or through a river, as by wading, or in a boat.

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. forecast

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. black

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

v.n. to steer straight

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. lay down

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the clear part of the moon when first seen

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

[eroʊ] num. two

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

v. to sharpen the point of a reed like a spear

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 80

v. show

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. soft, over-ripe, as breadfruit.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

[inɣaɣen] n. kava (traditional)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. wood

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. Pink whipray

Example: Photo by zsispeo, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Himantura fai, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[inhuleɣ] n. Yellow-throated White-eye

Example: Illustration by John Gerrard Keulemans / Wikimedia Commons, License: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Zosterops metcalfii, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[inʤia] n. chicken

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4933)

Example: The wood is light and used to make paddles for canoes.

Scientific name: Symplocos aneityensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[iɲeθite anawanariɲ] n. a sand drawing

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[inmenyau] n. Brown Goshawk

Example: Brown Goshawk juvenile. Photo by Graham Winterflood, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Accipiter fasciatus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a stringy bark tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a horse-chestnut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. vine climbing on Geissois denhamii (GMP #3522), growing in open (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3524)

Example: The word itougo means from a different country or place outside of Aneityum. The plant was introduced by the first missionaries who came to Port Patrick. Calendar plant – sea cost people see this flower in the forest and they know it is time to go into garden and harvest taro or make new gardens– see GMP 3263. This is also good firewood.

Scientific name: Operculina turpethum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vine to 5 m tall in trees, fruits maturing yellow-brown. Growing in agroforest/secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5009)

Example: People collect this vine and feed it to pigs. It also has an unspecified medicinal use. The vine of this plant forms a thick canopy so some people plant it around the house near trees that do not give much shade in order to reduce the intensity of the sun on the house and thus keep the temperature lower. The vine grows quickly into the trees.

Scientific name: Operculina (?) turpethum, Speaker: Tony Keith

[inpah] n. leaves worn around head

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub. Found along village pathways and in gardens. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #15)

Example: 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.

Scientific name: Cordyline terminalis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. unbranched treelet, 1. 25 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3526)

Example: People use the leaves for cooking any ground up food that is cooked on a fire such as manioc or bananas, roasted or boiled in water. Fish can be cooked this way. The roots of this plant can be cooked in an earth oven. These need to be cooked for 2 days or 2 nights, lke a yam. The plant has large roots that are good to eat. Chew like a piece of surgarcane, the taste is sweet like honey. Swallow the juice and spit out the fiber. The roots, once cooked, can be stored for 6 months. In ancient times they were eaten during times when there was no food. This food is said to be able to sustain a person for one day, if eaten in the morning, the person not be hungry until sunset. Today, people eat this plant at festivals, as it is no longer a famine food.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tongs for removing food from fire

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[intiʧ ɲaŋ] n. ear

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. well branched tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3202)

Example: 1. Young shoots are peeled and made into grass skirts. Scrape the stem and take the green part off, tie strips together and put under stones in the sea for retting, let sit 5 days in sea, but check these on a daily basis. When the fiber becomes soft, that is the time to take it from under the stones, clean off the excess materials, and hang it in the sun to dry for 3 days--this will bleach it and give it a whitish color, at which point it can be woven into a skirt. 2. The fiber can be used to make a small rope that is tied with shells and used for custom dances. 3. When the stems of this tree are older, the wood is very hard and it can be used to make the main frame that is arched for a cyclone house. According to Reuben these houses are not made much anymore on Aneityum Island. 4. To cook the intestines of fish that are eaten, take several leaves and put them in a small pile, making a wrapping, then use a local fiber to tie this together and cook on charcoal for as long as needed to prepare the fish parts. 5. In this area, sometimes knowledge of the plants and flowering are used as a calendar to indicate the time for planting of specific crops. Reuben will provide more details on a future trip. 6a. This species is an important "message plant." If a person is not home and you are visiting from the East--e.g. an Eastern part of the Island--that person can leave a 12 inch piece of stick in front of the door of the house so that the inhabitant knows that an eastern visitor (from Anawonjei district) has come by your home. The reason that person has come to visit is to pass an important message to you--good or bad "luck". The bad luck message might be a death, and is not told directly to the person. The good luck message might be a birth, or conflict that has been resolved. These messages are communicated using sticks--each district has a different species of plant. Reuben’s is the hibiscus. 6b. Message plant for Eastern people. If someone dies, use this plant, clip it in front of hem, in front of home, they ask “who” and you can tell them. In Eastern culture you cannot tell them directly. 7. When a person is too drunk with kava, take a branch of this and brush him with it to help make the effects go away. 8. Traditional plates for food.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[kajheɣ vajuɣ] phr. Good bye.

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Aneityum

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. coconut crab

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[maja gaʔo] phr. yes or no

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. well branched tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3461)

Example: The fruit of this species are poisonous. In ancient times the ancestors used the "fork" (branch growing out of main stem) of this wood to catch lobsters between the two parts of the stem.

Scientific name: Ochrosia elliptica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nadimi itij] phr. one man

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[nahanemek] n. kind of breadfruit, old name for "naho"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

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

Scientific name: Carpoxylon macrospermum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[najsiom] n. bird nest

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3533)

Example: People must not drink kava close to this tree. If you have any leaves of this plant with you when you drink kava you will not feel its effect.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. epiphytic orchid, growing in dense rainforest along river. Flowers pink. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4058)

Scientific name: Dendrobium rarum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub to 3 m tall, dbh 4 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4995)

Example: The flowers are cut and used in the house and the plant is grown as an ornamental around the house.

Scientific name: Euphorbia pulcherrima, Speaker: Tony Keith

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. east

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 146

n. a bamboo flute

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. shield aralia (RPV #11)

Scientific name: Polyscias scutellaria, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. herb, growing in partially drained marsh and along weedy areas of road. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3600)

Example: This plant is used as an ornament in the hair.

Scientific name: Palhinhaea cernua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. stage of coconut

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. stage of coconut

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a chewing of wood, and spitting it on sick people, to cure them; also "naihon"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3535)

Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4126)

Example: 1. The wood of this tree can be used as posts and rafters in traditional houses.

Scientific name: Spiranthemum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[nelgoʊ waj] n. toy float, lit. "flying ship", "fast ship"

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. nellet tree (RPV #116)

Scientific name: Dendrocnide latifolia, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 16 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3709)

Example: The small straight stems of this plant are used for fishing spears and the larger poles for rafters. The wood can also be used to make combs--the name refers to "comb wood."

Scientific name: Linociera brachystachys, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nenes] n. fiber for kava

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[nepiŋ θoʊ] n. night, moon has just gone down but enough light to see

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. orange (fruit)

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3541)

Example: 1. The young leaves are placed under a pig being cooked in the earth oven, on top of stones, the fat drips on the leaves and then people eat the leaves with pig fat on it--said to be delicious. The branches are used to make pig pen fences. 2. Collect top branches, chop leaves boil and eat like island cabbage – or cook on charcoal and wrap fish w/ this leaf.

Scientific name: Pisonia grandis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[ɲɛsŋa nɛmtan nʊmʊ] n. fish eye

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. epiphyte on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, pendant (1.7 m long) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3648)

Example: Name means pile of fish. To protect a conservation area and restock it, collect pile of stems and leaves and put in a pool of water with stones on it. Fish will come and breed and area will have more fish. Fish in general

Scientific name: Dendrobium involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[netoʊhas] n. May (lit. bad sugar cane, not ready yet)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. the center sprout of the banana plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the castor-oil plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3623)

Example: People use the leaf of this plant to layer on the bottom of the earth oven, and then pile food such as manioc or taro on it, then pile leaves of this species on top of that. This will help insulate the food from the high heat of the earth oven and allow it to cook better. Used especailly in feasts like weddings. Women usually collect this leaf and is used to cover very large earth ovens.

Scientific name: Cleidion javanicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Macaranga dioca

Example: Inner bark: bathe in cold infusion, wounds. Mix heated over fire and taken out during sunset. Healer clenches the package in his fist, then gently punches the patients left, then right knee, then his forehead and finally squeezes over his head, migraine a

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 441

[nija] n. cup for bait

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. breadfruit; also "nohwanma"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. berry

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 128

n. large well branched tree, 18-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3216)

Example: 1. The trunk of this plant is used to make canoes. 2. It is also a good timber for the inside part of houses. 3. Mix the sap from the stem with other unspecified leaves and rub them into dreadlocks. 4. To attract shells in the sea, scrape a branch and drop in the sea where shells are attracted to the branches and they can be collected for sale to the Island’s visitors. 5. Seeds are used to make beautiful black necklaces. Said to be a lot of work as it is difficult to remove the seed. Rub with sandpaper or soak in water and then make the hole in the seed. 6. Fruit is a children’s toy – used as a whistle to make a nice sound.

Scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. sprawling, vine-like herb (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3215)

Example: 1. The flower of this plant is used for decoration, for Christmas in particular, in church and home. 2. To attract a mate, put the flower in your hair. 3. This is the introduced one that is named after the wild type.

Scientific name: Gloriosa superba, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree. Found in the village, usually grows in the hills. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #16)

Example: 1. Lot of oil in the heartwood so it is good to start a fire, split it into small strips and you can light it for a fire. 2. Calendar plant – when the fruits ripen people know that this is the best season to eat the big hermit crab – meaning that they are fat.

Scientific name: Fagraea berteroana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3458)

Example: The stems of this plant are used to hold thatch on a roof, especially for round houses as this wood can bend easily.

Scientific name: Dysoxylum bijugum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a halo around the sun or moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. tree fern to 5 m tall, fronds 2. 5 m long (collection: Michael J. Balick #5014)

Example: Trunk of this plant is used to make food. Cut the stem in 2-3 foot pieces, peel the outer stem, put the peeled stems in an earth oven to cook for the afternoon through the night--about 12 hours. It will be ready the next day. Peel off any remaining fibrous tissue, slice the stems and eat. They are said to taste like sweet potato. The young fronds are boiled for 5 minutes and coconut milk is added, this mixture is then eaten. It is important to collect only the inrolled fronds that have not yet fully opened. The fronds are used to make temporary houses when camping in the bush. They are used to make a roof. To make a cassava grater, take 2-3 pieces of the frond stype, connect them together by piercing them on the sides with a piece of bamboo or any stick such that they are held together in parallel fashion, and use this to grate uncooked cassava to make lap-lap and to grate banana or any food that needs to be processed in this way. The thorny part of the stipe grates the food.

Scientific name: Sphaeropteris lunulata, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. a small red berry used as beads

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

adv. downwards or westwards

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adv. near; inshore; near the shore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adv. over (?)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. Sida rhombifolia L.

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against diarrhea

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

adj. sour, applied to the water in coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110