Aneityum

adj. tempestuous at sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 48

v.n. go though, as the land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v.a. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. go up; go east

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. see

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

conj. and

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[apo akro] phr. I’m going to share this with this

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

v. to emit sound from a bottle or coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

phr. the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

adj. at a distance; on the other side of the road.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 79

v. trees; fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. plastic bailer, bottle to get water out of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a tree for food; a fruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

[indraʊ] n. pandanus leaf wrapping for the preparation of fish

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[indraʊmu] n. fish prepared in a wrapping of pandanus leaf

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. the candle-nut tree; also "inhaig"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. Pink whipray

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

Scientific name: Himantura fai, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4960)

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. astronomy word, no def. given--possibly referring to a common shellfish "inhudaig". no def. for "ecro" or any feasible alternate spellings.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[inʤupki upni] phr. Good afternoon. (greeting around noon time, 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock, afternoon)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Tabernaemontana padacaqui

Example: leaf used for for wounds; cold maceration taken internally against "skin cancer" (severe wounds?). Stalk, chewed, influences sex of an embryo in favor of a girl.

Scientific name: Tabernaemontana padacaqui, Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 30 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4870)

Example: This plant is used for spiritual purposes. When fruits are young, the children take the fruit, cut it open and take coconut leaf midribs, impaling the seeds on the midribs and painting themselves with the fruit.

Scientific name: Pittosporum aneityense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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 fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree, 12-14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3640)

Example: The seeds of this species are eaten, the fruits are cracked open and the seeds removed. However, perhaps of 10 fruits, maybe only 3 have seeds for eating. The flowers are known to have a very pleasant fragrance.

Scientific name: Terminalia sepicana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in open area at edge of forest (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3480)

Example: This plant is a "message flower." If a person puts this flower behind their ear or in their hat, and looks at another person, it is an invitation to that person to go with you to the nakamal. Or a man invites a woman to go somewhere with him. Alternatively, you can leave the flower on a table and this is also a message to go with a person. Leaves also used to wrap foods. Decorate yard around the house.

Scientific name: Spathoglottis petri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. parasite on branches of Geissois denhamii tree, growing in dense rainforest. Flowers orange-red. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4028)

Example: 1. This plant is known to kill other trees and is regarded as a parasite. 2. The plant is related to kastom use regarding the separation of two lovers--more information witheld.

Scientific name: Amyema aneityensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. stoloniferous herb, 15 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3561)

Example: In the past the ancestors learned to cook the leaves of this species with fish in an earth over and then eat the leaves as well as the fish. Today, fish are wrapped with small leaves and then covered with lap-lap leaf (Polyscias) and cooked in an earth oven.

Scientific name: Wedelia uniflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to gather beans

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4772)

Scientific name: Cerbera manghas, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb to 0. 75 m, fruits brown. Growing in cultivated area near village. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5012)

Example: Children use this fruit as a rattle. When parents go to the gardens or fields with their children, they collect the pods for the children to use as a rattle and amuse themselves. Unspecified medicinal use.

Scientific name: Senna occidentalis, Speaker: Tony Keith

[maja] phr. yes

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adj. yes, good

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the name of a prickly shrub

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. big turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub; small plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. cotton

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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. 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. 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. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. grass; also "namutmut"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

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. 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. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[narasɛn] n. skin

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[narisin nɛpʧinoʊɣsin] n. lips

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. a tree full of sap

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 6 m, dbh 25 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4873)

Example: This tree is a good source of timber, it is a hard wood and makes good posts for houses, fences, and furniture. 4’ x 4’ and 8’ x 1’ planks can be cut from this wood. Great for construction.

Scientific name: Intsia bijuga, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree. Village home garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #9)

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 – this was during the time when people did not have matches and did not need them as the embers of this tree would stay hot for days and when it was time to make a stronger fire, people would add smaller branches to make a flame appear.

Scientific name: Ficus aspera, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nawuraniŋ] phr. thank you

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. partly fallen tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4055)

Example: 1. The wood of this tree is used to make rafters of traditional homes.

Scientific name: Melicope bonwickii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. low mountain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

[nefiaŋ] n. January (lit. big wild sugar cane)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nefitan mokom] n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. fir; pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 150, 172

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers pale green-white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4899)

Example: If a person chews the branches of this tree, their teeth will not grow or will fall out. Common name refers to "bad teeth.

Scientific name: Psychotria aneityensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 9 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3707)

Example: The small straight stems of this plant are used for fishing spears and the larger poles for rafters.

Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nepiŋ sepahaj] n. night, the moon has not come up yet, "the moon is down"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3513)

Example: 1. The flower is used to make a necklace and the wood used as poles for a house roof. The flower is very fragrant and people put it behind their ear to enjoy the aroma. The leaf is used to bake taro in the earth oven. Use a fire to heat stones, then when the fire burns down and the stones are hot, pile these leaves on top of the hot stones and then place the food being cooked--taro, fish, pig, cassava, banana or other foods--on top of the leaves. Then pile more of these leaves on top of the food and then place additional hot stones on top of that pile of leaves. While the food is cooking--each type of food takes a different amount of time--the leaves give off a very nice smell and help flavor the food. 2. Firewood, flower smells good, put in coconut oil to give it aroma. Grate coconut, add small amount of water, put in bowl, heat until water is evaporated, the oil is on top, take all the coconut cream on bottom save oil in another pot. Drop 2-3 flowers into coconut oil and boil, or more flowers. Try not to burn the oil. Take out flowers and use pure oil. Also used for final covering of large earth oven during feast along with GMP 3503 – esp. wedding feast. Planting pole and hard and heavy wood – sharp end. 3. This is a "calendar plant." When it flowers, people know that the taro is ready to harvest.

Scientific name: Gardenia tannaensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the center sprout of a coconut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

[nija] n. cup for bait

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[niʧɛn asŋa] n. teeth (all)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. the holes in a coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. turtle shell

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[niseuɣ inmohoɣ] n. lit. "the moon’s walking stick"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Hornstedtia sp.

Example: Subterranean part: cold maceration, taken internally against "cancer", diabetes, or as tonic

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

n. a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[nohos vietnam] n. kind of banana(sp. from Vietnam)

Speaker: David Nasauman

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. fern to 0. 75 m, sori brown. Growing in pine forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4983)

Example: Join two of the inrolled fronds together at the part where the frond is opening (the tip that is curled) such that the leaves are held together by their unfolding growing tips. Place this along the path that is frequented by a wild pig (they travel along paths) and when the pig passes these two leaves, and is chased by a hunter’s dogs, these leaves in this formation are said to sap some of the pig’s energy and thus allow the dogs to catch up with it. This was explained to Tony by another person who mentioned it as a sort of magical power possessed by this type of fern.

Scientific name: Blechnopsis orientalis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. non-fish creatures in the sea

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3532)

Example: This is a foreign tree, rare on Aneityum

Scientific name: Chrysobalanus icaco, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Ficus septica var. cauliflora

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

n. Grewia inmac

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

[oŋmraŋ] n. old (man)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

conj. conjunction to join sentences together

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. herb to 2 m, flowers white. Growing at edge of secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4967)

Example: Peel the outer stem of this plant and weave two pieces of this together to make and armband to hold fragrant leaves for Kastom ceremony.

Scientific name: Donax canniformis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. sour, applied to the water in coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

n. tough; a kind of coral

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

v.n. to go down

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109