Aneityum

[aθ tasvi] v. break strong things (like a branch, etc.)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[alpos] adj. big

Speaker: David Nasauman

v. sleep

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. black

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. time; weather; day; morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

v. go out

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

v. drip, as a bucket filled with water drips

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. last quarter of moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 78

[eroʊ nadimi] phr. two men

Speaker: David Nasauman

adv. soon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

v. to begin to blossom

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 80

n. royal albatross

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

phr. on that side

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. green peppers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1 m, flowers blue. In transitional zone from pine forest to ’primary’ forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4982)

Example: This is used to treat Ciguatera disease when a person eats fish that is contaminated. Squeeze juice from a handful of leaves of this herb into a cup, add a small amount of water, and drink 1 cup once a day for 3 days, or continue until the person feels better. This illness is a problem on Aneityum with the reef fish. It is better to eat fish that are farther out to sea. This treatment is also used for dogs who eat contaminated fish. Make the same preparation and forcibly pour this in their mouth as they will not drink it willingly. Do this treatment once daily until the dog feels better. The dogs get this illness because they are fed the scraps, especially the bones of the fish, and this is thought to be where the disease is found. This is considered to be a dangerous illness and dogs who get it frequently die.

Scientific name: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. liana climbing on Fagraea tree (8 m tall), growing in secondary forest (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3663)

Scientific name: Piper macropiper, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. twig, branch

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Whitespotted surgeonfish, southern dialect

Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Acanthurus guttatus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[inŋa] n. Purple Swamphen

Example: Photo by Bernard Spragg, License: Public domain via Flickr

Scientific name: Porphyrio porphyrio, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a group of cultivations

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

n. a foreign convolvulus

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

[inmoiʤev at̚poij] n. the Aurora Australis; streamers (lit. "smoke star")

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3270)

Scientific name: Oxera lehuntei, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub. Found in the village, Unames. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #31)

Example: 1. To cure when the anus falls out - Pound together 1 braches worth of inpalcapnesgin leaves and of both inloptiri (2-4 leaves, any age) , also take the inner bark of nekeaitimi and nakhe. Put this into your hand, or another leaf and give it to the person to use it. This should be applied to the anus whenever the anus comes out. USed to use a clam shell to extract the bark but not anymore.

Scientific name: Hibiscus rosasinensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4085)

Example: 1. The green leaves of this plant are used to cover fish, when cooking them in a fire.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. prostrate herb growing on ground in open or partly shaded area next to banana tree. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3207)

Example: 1. The plant is named after a "rat"s ear.’ Eat 4 fresh leaves every morning to clear the brain and help remember things. 2. This plant is an indicator of rich soil--a good place for growing vegetables. 3. Very useful plant, food and medicine. Name means rat ear. Take 5 leaves, wrap in INROWOD (Cordyline fruticosa) and cook for 15 minutes, remove it hot (be sure you do not burn it) squeeze out 1 tablespoon and give to baby to drink to treat a flu. 1x morning for 5 days.

Scientific name: Centella asiatica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. sprig

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188

n. tree, 10-12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3638)

Example: This tree is a good source of firewood, wood for house posts as well as sawn timber. The ripe fruit is edible but some of these are sour. Kids eat fruits – it is black. Pick only the most ripe fruits. This species grows commonly on river banks.

Scientific name: Syzygium gracilipes, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of banana

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. liana climbing on large Dillenia tree, growing in primary forest at edge of river. flower white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3677)

Example: If a person is building a temporary house and has no other way of attaching the poles, collect the vine of this species, roll it a bit to break the fiber, heat it in a figure 8 form and then use for tying poles while warm.

Scientific name: Jasminum didymum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

adj. inland

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

n. gun

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nadimi desiiʧ] phr. three men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nadimi dowaŋ] phr. six men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. sparsely to moderately branched tree, 6-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3220)

Example: 1. Wood is used for carving as it is a nice black wood. 2. Also used for house posts. 3. Use sapwood – cut a piece of wood, long one 1-2 m. Put it in front of the house or take a smaller piece on top of the entrance door – protects against bad spirits.

Scientific name: Thespesia populnea, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte on main trunk of large mango tree, growing in secondary forest above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3657)

Scientific name: Ophioderma pendula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. low-growing vine, growing next to airstrip just beyond coastal vegetation. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3544)

Example: To trap fish, the vine of this plant is rolled in large quantity and put on the reef in a circle at high tide in order to corral and trap the fish. At low tide the fish are then speared and harvested. Placement of the circle depends on the rocks and the reef. Children fold the large leaves and bite parts of the leaf to make designs as a craft object. This is a "message plant." If a person wants to build a house or garden in a specfic place, put a piece of the vine on a stick near the area to tell others that they should not build a garden or house hear this area--this is a Tabu message. There are a few other unspecified leaves added to the stick, not only this one.

Scientific name: Canavalia rosea, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3217)

Example: 1a. When traveling past a community you can place these leaves in a basket or walk with it in your hand. In this way people in the community know that you are traveling in peace and will cause no harm to people in that village. 1b. Message plant – if you go to visit someone and they are not there, you leave a branch of this on the door or somewhere they can see it and they know that some relatives have come and tried to visit them.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4860)

Example: This is a common tree. If a person travels from one district to another on Aneityum, and you see the tree planted in that other district, a person knows they are free to come into this area. When the leaves are yellow, as in a young tree, the local name is nala’gay. If a person carries a branch of this tree into a village it is a symbol that the person is coming with peaceful intentions.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. herb to 1 m, flowers yellow. Growing at edge of cultivated field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4956)

Scientific name: Triumfetta procumbens, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. herb to 30 cm, fruits green. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4934)

Example: Take the leaves, squeeze out the juice in a cup of water, drink 3x daily for 3 days to treat dengue fever--use one handful of leaves in a cup of water and drink cool. The fruits are edible. Peel the outer part off and eat like a tomato.

Scientific name: Physalis angulata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub, 1. 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3442)

Scientific name: Maesa aneiteensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3553)

Example: 1. A stimulant plant. If a person is going to their garden early in the morning before the sun come up, break 2 top young leaves and chew and swallow the liquid, spitting out the fiber. This makes the person able to work harder and not feel tired while in the fields. It was noted that "a person can do the work of many people if they chew this." 2. The leaves are used for fertilizer for taro--put a bunch of leaves in a hole were taro is to be planted as a compost/antibiotic. This practice is said to kill all of the bad organisms such as bacttively impact the health of the taro plant. 3. This one collected from coastal area, ?? one collected in forest area. People take 4 leaves, chew leaves, swallow juice, gives energy to work hard the entire day. For fishing, take lots of ripe fruits and put in pocket, you will be able to catch a lot of fish. It brings good fortune when fishing. Roots – take one root, wash where a woman is giving birth to a newborn baby, give a drop of the juice from the root to clear the mucus in the throat.

Scientific name: Scaevola taccada, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. twining vine, growing on grassed along roadside in open disturbed area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3608)

Scientific name: Cardiospermum halicacabum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nawʊnoan] n. neck

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. current in the sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 140

n. dawn of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. chief

Example: Origin story of Aneityum chiefs on see more on Youtube

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the north-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 195

n. herb. Swamp areas. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #8)

Example: 1. Cervical pain and to return it to normal size - Get a handful of Naurakiti and boil it in a pot of water. This can also be done by rubbing the handful of leaves together and squeezing out the juice into the boiling water but the leaves do not go inside. Sit in this for 2 hours or until cold for 1 a day for a week. 2. Medicine: leaf juice put on fresh cut to stop bleeding. Stomachache, headache – use 1 handful of leaves, squeeze these, put in cup, put in some water and drink it 1x day. 3. Women menstruation that will not stop, take 1 handful of leaves into a cup of water and drink 1x day for 3 days. 4. If a person’s joints are sore, take a handful of leaves, crush them and rub on the sore joints. Some people don’t like to use it internally as it can make some people sick, especially small children, but others say it is OK to use.

Scientific name: Ageratum conyzoides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. terrestrial plant, growing in dry forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3509)

Example: This is a "message plant" that signifies that there has been a death. The person holds it or puts it on their head, goes to another person’s house and hands it to the person they wish to convey the message to, without saying anything and that person knows that someone has died. It can also be handed to that person. The person receiving the message then asks "who" and is told the deceased person’s name.

Scientific name: Selaginella durvillei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte on prop roots and main tree trunks, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4044)

Scientific name: Asplenium amboinense, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3514)

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. a light wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. small tree. Found in the village, but not cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #17)

Example: 1. Ancestors used this plant to make fish line – cut young branches, remove outer bark and tie together, put in salt water or fresh water for a week, it is now strong, dry in sun, take fibers and twist them together to make a very long fishing line. 2. Leaves are used to feed pigs. 3. Take inner bark, scrape it and put on boils. Attach with any leaf and it takes out the boil. 4. Trunk for temporary bush house.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree 6 m tall, dbh 15 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4864)

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, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3666)

Scientific name: Dysoxylum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

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.

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. herb, growing in weedy area at end of airstrip runway. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3568)

Scientific name: Youngia japonica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. current of air

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 140

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3537)

Example: This plant is an aphrodisiac. Eat with coconut meat to make the body strong. Take 1/2 handful of leaves and mix with coconut leaves, use as needed. Mostly men eat this combination. It is best to eat with dry coconut that has no water in it. Eat it any time you wish.

Scientific name: Pemphis acidula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the chewed fiber of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4779)

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. sparsely branched tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3208)

Example: The flying fox eats the fruit of this tree. When the fruits are ripe, the seeds are edible and children cut off the outside of the fruit and eat the nut. Wrap fish with this leaf and cook it on top of a fire--it tastes good. House posts are made from the trunk of the tree. It grows in the coastal area.

Scientific name: Cerbera manghas, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[ninahɛn] n. scales

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[nipatunanin] n. goat horns

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[nowataŋ] n. sky

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the New Caledonian banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. dale

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 140

n. the Norfolk Island pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

[nugep] n. Mackinlay’s cuckoo dove

Example: Photo by David Cook Wildlife Photography / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Macropygia mackinlayi, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196