Aneityum

affix in this direction; here; this

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

adj. crooked

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[alpos] adj. big

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. on another day

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to steer straight

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. go out

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to prepare pandanus leaves for making mats or baskets

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. tie

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[t̚apanan ʤa ʤaj et lok sto eŋmikope stoi lok] phr. he went there but the store was closed

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[et apanan amlep aθamoʧ] phr. he went there and he came back

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

phr. on that side

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. the Pleiades, the seven stars

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. scandent shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3277)

Scientific name: Neuburgia corynocarpa, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #19)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze the juice into a small bamboo (1-1.5 inch diameter) The nafanu is important because it is a plant that connects to the sea. Use wildcane leaves cover the bamboo closed. Go to the sick person and unwrap the snake from her. Start from the top and let the woman drink a small part of the potion then wash her with the mixture, making sure to wash head, elbows, knees, feet, and belly. Then take a leaf of naha and break it over the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men.

Scientific name: Sophora tomentosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. fishing hook

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. small tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3528)

Example: 1. This plant is used as firewood, but also the heartwood is sold. 2. In 2016, the first grade wood was 2500 VT per kilo, the second grade wood was 2000 VT per kilo. 3. The ancestors used to take the oil or wood chips from this tree and bathe with it to keep away evil spirits of the forest. It is currently planted on Aneityum for commerce. Scrape bark of sandalwood into coconut oil in same wat as GMP 3513 (gardenia) boil and take out the bark. 4. The leaves can be fed to pigs to make them strong and heavy.

Scientific name: Santalum austrocaledonicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. wind-related term; no definition provided. Possibly referring to "inhalav" ’child’.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[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

[iɲe taθwaɪn anholwas] n. crown of leaves of a particular plant; "tadwain" to put around head; "anholwas" name of particular plant

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[inʤupara] n. evening (late afternoon)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. treelet, 1. 75 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4077)

Scientific name: Ixora aneityensis

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

n. a branch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Spathoglottis petri (RPV #166)

Scientific name: Spathoglottis petri, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. bush land where forest trees grow; also "intucjip"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. Hound needlefish, crocodile long-tom

Example: Photo by Philippe Bourjon / Fishbase, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[inwei] n. water

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

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. Melastoma malabathricum (RPV #132)

Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[katamal] n. Scarlet Robin

Example: Photo by patrickkavanagh/Flickr, License: CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Petroica multicolor, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

n. a giant

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[mataʊ] n. older brother

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. prickly shrub

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 184

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3570)

Example: This plant grows in coastal areas, and is a good source of firewood. It can be used for house posts. The leaves are used as an unspecified medicine. There is a belief regarding the black and white sea snake, that represents a seawater spirit. Mix this with other unspecified leaves, mash together, squeeze into a bamboo tube and fill it. Give it to a woman to drink to keep the evil snake spirit away. The same preparation can be used to treat toothache, caused by the seawater spirit. "The spirit can trick you into going to fish every day."

Scientific name: Guettarda speciosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. seed of a fig

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 150

[nalak ŋaɣeseɣa] n. kind of plantain ("red like the sun")

Speaker: David Nasauman

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. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the beginning of cold wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. large scandent herb, to 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3453)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used to wrap manihot, fish, banana and other vegetables when cooking them in an earth oven or open fire.

Scientific name: Joinvillea plicata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4889)

Example: The leaves are used to cover meat when baking it in a stone oven (inmawum). This will soften the meat and keep it moist. Used when other species of this genus are not available, for example if you are in the bush.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[narasɛn natimi] n. skin (human)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Canarium vulgare

Example: leaf--cold maceration in coconut milk and seawater, taken internally against diarrhea or ciguatera. Cold maceration of chewed leave, spat into a cup and mixed with coconut water: taken internally against ciguatera

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers greenish white turning to brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4886)

Example: In taller forest, this plant is higher so can use it to make a spear. Sharpen the end or use wires as the tip. Unspecified medicinal use.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus myrianthus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. the kernel of a coconut; the coconut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

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. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4094)

Example: 1. The name describes a sea bird, whose long legs are similar in shape to the stipe of this fern.

Scientific name: Tectaria crenata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a mat of coconut leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. a bundle of reeds for a torch; a torch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 7 m tall, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4861)

Example: When a person does heavy work and their body feels tired, they should take 1 handful of leaves, squeeze them into a cup of water and drink--this will make the person feel better. People can drink this from time to time to give the body energy even before you are tired. To treat constipation, take 4- 8’ pieces of stem from a 2 cm dbh section of the tree, peel the outside bark off, collect the inner bark and mash with a stone or hammer, put in a colander to strain out the wood, add 1.5 l water, the liquid becomes green or whitish with sticky liquid. Drink this one time, it tastes cold and then after about 30 minutes it feels like the bowel is working and then normal function returns--this does not induce diarrhea but rather returns the bowel to normal function.

Scientific name: Trema orientalis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nesŋan ʤap] n. waves (beach)

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3687)

Scientific name: Meryta neo-ebudica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4096)

Example: 1. The name means the border between two lands, or a landmark.

Scientific name: Nephrolepis biserrata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. grass to 70 cm tall, sterile. Cultivated at the side of a field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4958)

Example: The leaves and stems are boiled in water to make tea. The base of the leaves (the whitish part) is used to cook foods that have a strong odor, such as goat or shark. The base is sliced and put in the soup and this helps to keep the smell of the goat or shark from infusing through the rest of the food and making it less palatable. In some areas of Aneityum, such as in cassava fields, there is a fungus that kills the crops. This species is interplanted with the crops to kill that fungus and protect the crop plants.

Scientific name: Cymbopogon citratus, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 10-12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4061)

Example: 1. When cooking "Naura" (freshwater prawns), the leaves are used to wrap them before they are roasted in a fire. 2. When making lap-lap (a traditional dish made of grated root crops), and the lap-lap leaf is unavailable (Heliconia sp.), use the large leaf of this species to wrap the taro.

Scientific name: Dillenia neoebudica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. vine climbing up a macaranga tree, growing in open disturbed area. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3588)

Example: 1. To build a cyclone house, take the vine of this species to tie pieces of the house. To prepare the vine for use as rope, collect many feet of it, put it in a fire, roll it in a figure 8, wait until it softens and then use for tying. This vine is hard and needs to be heated to a high temperature in the fire to make it soft; the person preparing this must use gloves to tie it to the posts and rafters while it is still warm. When it cools, it is very strong. Rope made from this vine will last a long time--perhaps 10-15 years. It can also be used to make a regular house. However, it is not as strong as GMP #3589. 2. For men who want rasta in hair, take a few leaves and dry them, burn with some other plants to rub on the rasta and keeps it healthy, keep from splitting.

Scientific name: Geitonoplesium cymosum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

[niɲja] n. shell (small)

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

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[nepjeŋ] n. fish bait

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[niʧin neijaŋ] n. coconut shell

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[nohos u natmas] n. kind of banana

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. terrestrial fern growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. Leaves dimorphic. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3285)

Scientific name: Blechnum vulcanicum

[nomrɪn diʧinan] n. fin (of a fish)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. fish; life

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. understory tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4049)

Example: 1. The name means "knife of sandpaper", a type of fish. The leaf base resembles the fin of the fish. 2. In the past, a spear was made from the sapling wood of this plant for tribal warfare. Today, spears are made from this plant for fishing. First, a relatively straight spaling is chosen and then heated over a fire. The pliable portion of wood is straightened and then decorticated. When cool, a portion of wire can be affixed on one end to aid in the spearing of fish.

Scientific name: Tapeinosperma

n. another name for masoa; arrowroot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

adj. angry

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. maize

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 164

n. kind of breadfruit (biggest one)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. a giant

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. down yonder

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

adj. rich; good, as applied to fruits

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

n. sweet potato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to fish (with a rod)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

adj. beginning to be ripe, as fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 112