Aneityum

v. cover

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[amai neto] phr. chew sugarcane

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. go back into shore; go further up into the bush; go inland

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. go out

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.a. to ascend, to go up

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

n. tendrils; small branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 71

v.n. to go on to a reef with a canoe or boat

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

[et haklin an] phr. he is small

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

prep. up

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. outside

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the heart wood of a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. vegetables; herbs, as taro, bananas; every vegetable planted for food

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. first fruits

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. epiphyte, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3664)

Example: This plant is used to make a head garland, but if you are going hunting or fishing do not put this on your head as you will not be successful in your quset. This is the grass skirt for the spirits; you can hear them but you cannot see them.

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a breadfruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

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. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4124)

Scientific name: Trichospermum inmac, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3499)

Example: This plant has an unspecified medical use. Children make slingshots out of the fork of the stem of this tree.

Scientific name: Ervatamia orientalis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. large tree, 16 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3222)

Example: 1. As a child’s game, some times children put the segments of the needles together to see who can make the largest one. 2. A "calendar plant"--when the needles are brown, it is an indication that people should not work hard, but should rest or they will not feel well. If they try to work they will feel sleepy--an indication of the season of higher heat. 3. Wood is used as firewood. 4. Firewood, inner bark good for ciguatera poisoning, scratch the inner bark and squeeze juice into a cup of water and give to the sick person to drink – very effective. Use the largest most mature part of the stem.

Scientific name: Casuarina equisetifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4032)

Scientific name: Endiandra aneityensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. large tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4051)

Example: 1. When in flower (yellow), taro is said to be ready in the garden.

Scientific name: Metrosideros collina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

n. fishing line

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. dragon plum (RPV #3)

Scientific name: Dracontomelon vitiense, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a plant from which an intoxicating drink is prepared

Scientific name: Piper methysticum, Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[kuratehen] n. dog (female)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[kuri] n. dog (general)

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. erect grass (called ’whitegrass’), growing in coastal forest just behind strand vegetation. Inflorescences whitish. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3440)

Scientific name: Imperata cylindrica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[maja ga oʔo] phr. yes or no (traditional)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adj. ripe; also "metto"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[naɣo aɣo] n. just after sundown, still light

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. pendent epiphyte, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4039)

Scientific name: Ophioderma pendula, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. half-tide when ebbing

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of plantain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. herb to 10 cm, sterile (collection: Michael J. Balick #4985)

Example: This plant is a very important food during a famine. People dig up the roots and roast these on the embers of a fire for 25 minutes, then check the root to get out the starchy material, and spit out the fiber. There is said to be little taste; this is a bland food that a person eats to survive. People on Aneityum have harvested it for a very long time so there is not as much of a supply left as in the past.

Speaker: Tony Keith

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

Scientific name: Macodes sanderiana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nawʊn nɛθoʊn] n. leg

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree to 10 m, dbh 30 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4900)

Example: Before there was soap, people took the young leaves and crushed them on a stone to make suds for washing clothes in the river. This tree has a very hard wood and can be used for house posts. The sap is reddish and the bark boiled in water until it is red, consumed 2-3 times daily (1 cup each time) until the person feels well. The condition treated is that when a menstruating woman has sex with a man, and he feels tired and lethargic, drinking this tonic makes him feel stronger.

Scientific name: Alphitonia zizyphoides, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. the north-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. the juice of the breadfruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. grass to 10 cm, seeds brown. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4945)

Example: To make a baby strong, burn the leaves and rhizome, take the ashes and rub on the baby’s arms, knees, legs. Makes them strong, healthy and able to walk. Use after the child is given a bath. 1-4 years old, and it will help. Can use every day after bathing.

Scientific name: Lepturus repens, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. the break of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. species of sycamore (117); a sycamore fig (97)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97, 117

n. shrub. Village pathways. ornamental. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #7)

Example: 1. Heat the leaves then place on the sore muscle. 2. Edible plant, cook young leaves until soft and then can eat, as a vegetable or soup, with any food. 3. Same use as AAM 3 to heat and put on body to heal pain. 4. On a reef when it is time to protect the reef to conserve it and bring more fish, you take this plant and put it in the hole in the reef – cut stem and put it in reef in several parts. People will know it is under protection and respect it.

Scientific name: Polyscias multijuga, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. fern to 30 cm, cones green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4919)

Example: Use this plant to send a message to someone that another person has died. Take 1 dried leaf, to pass message to another village/tribe or people. Hold it in your hand and walk past a person, then they know that someone has died.

Scientific name: Selaginella distans, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. scrambling vine, growing in coastal strand vegetation. Flowers yellow. 1. Medicine: Smash leaves 1 handful, into cup and add a small amount of water to treat constipation—1 cup for children; 1.5 XX for adults. 2. Stomachache: same treatment, will clear bowel. 3. For leg sores, collect whole plant, put in water – a pool of water for 1 week, then use to dip sore as on leg into it for 10-15 minutes cure the sore. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3437)

Scientific name: Vigna marina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. hemlock

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 157

n. tree to 20 m, dbh 50 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4910)

Scientific name: Dysoxylum molle, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shark

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree 10 m tall, dbh 15 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4909)

Example: The stems of this plant make a good digging stick for planting kava. Kava planted with this digging stick will be stronger in effect.

Scientific name: Alstonia vitiensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3604)

Example: The fruits are edible when ripe--eating them turns the tongue purple. 1. 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. 2. Ancestors 4 top branches and chew and spit out remaining fiber will destroy the effects of a love potion that is too strong – meaning that the husband or wife will miss the other person too much so that they become mentally ill. 3. Edible fruits: eating them turns tongue black/purple.

Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Pacific litchee (RPV #114)

Scientific name: Pometia pinnata, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. prepared pandanus leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 170

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3507)

Example: The young leaves and fruits are edible; the fruits are eaten ripe. This species is used for firewood as well as house posts, but they don’t last as long as other types of wood so they are used in temporary structures. A sacred plant on Aneityum. Name means linkage between this world and the spirit world. Agriculture – you find this tree ?? it means that the land is fertile. Birds eat fruits; people burn the tree to release ash and fertilizer and grow their taro around it – it will give more food. Message plant – if someone puts a long brown on your door or in your garden, it means “why are you here?” Implies that you should go back to where you belong. You don’t belong in this place. For example instead of quarreling over land dispute, put the branch and it means that you should leave this place.

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3517)

Example: 1. The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. 2. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time. 3. The wood is strong and used to carve paddles for the canoe. 4. It is also grown and used for firewood. 5. Firewood, (6) use as local plate. 7. On west side of island, take old coconut, fill with water, put lead into hole on end, take out and give to baby to drink and it will help the baby talk.

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, 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

n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3587)

Example: 1. If the preferred banana leaves are not available to wrap food for cooking, then use young leaves of this species and tie taro and fish for cooking. 2. Use leaves to wrap fresh water prawns and fresh water fish and cook them on charcoal. Use as a cup by making funnel out of leaf and drink from it. 3. Used for unspecified ritual activities.

Scientific name: Dillenia biflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[niʧɛn jaoʊ] n. butt

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. fallen tree, growing in canopy gap in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3465)

Example: When the flowers of this plant are green, it is an indication that the cool season is approaching; when the flowers are brown, the dry season is coming. The wood is used to make rafters for the roof of houses, on which to tie thatch.

Scientific name: Commersonia bartramia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nijom araheθ] n. lit. "round house"

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nikmesej] n. blue sky

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. stick for coconuts

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Blue-spotted stingray

Example: Photo by Richard Ling / Flickr.com, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Neotrygon kuhlii, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. a tree, the leaves of which have no center rib

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[nitaʔtel] n. stool

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. a fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. Bigeye scad

Example: Photo by J.E. Randall / Fishbase, License: CC BY-A-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Selar crumenophthalmus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. fruit; also "nohwan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. cycas (RPV #33)

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4874)

Example: This plant is an indicator of rich soil, especially up on the hills from the coast. Therefore, this is where people choose to do their gardens. This specimen is in red soil that is not rich so it does not grow tall, but in the mountains it does grow tall and that is where gardens are planted. Wood from the tree is used for carving.

Scientific name: Weinmannia denhamii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. the north-north-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. small basket

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine, growing in coastal forest. Flowers red with yellow tinges. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3448)

Scientific name: Gloriosa superba, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a dried or withered breadfruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. seaward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

[rabaθ] n. Peregrine Falcon

Example: Photo by Teddy Llovet, License: CC BY-NC 2.0 see more on Flickr See how this bird is featured in the origin story of Aneityum chiefs at see more on Youtube

Scientific name: Falco peregrinus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[rak͡pad] n. black hawk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adv. by land; on land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

adj. done; cooked

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi