Aneityum

v. go down

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. go down; go down into something

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. sail without making headway

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 180

adj. straight

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. red (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

n. forest trees

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 78

n. Barringtonia edulis

Example: not used in Aneityum

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

phr. on that side

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

adj. inland

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 159

adj. soft, over-ripe, as breadfruit.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers white. Growing on ridge of pine forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4980)

Example: The leaves are good mulch for taro plants. The stems are used for firewood.

Scientific name: Geniostoma rupestre, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. this collection is a seedling sprouting from a coconut fruit. the adult palm is growing in an agricultural field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4950)

Example: The young seedlings are removed from the coconuts and fed to pigs. Children like to eat the apical meristems of the sprouts, peeling off the harder, outer leaves and eating the soft white part. The endosperm of the sprouted coconut is edible. The local name means "young seedling."

Scientific name: Cocos nucifera, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. an old coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[inhosumeljaŋ] n. Black-tailed whistler

Example: Photo by Lip Kee, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Pachycephala melanura, 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

[inʤupuram] n. nearly dark

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. daylight

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. belt

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of cabbage or leaf

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inmohoɣ onubiθoʊ] n. February (lit. moon belongs to Nubidou (village in east))

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub. Growing in the village. Cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #26)

Example: 1a. To stay healthy while pregnant - grate 1 coconut with nekei leaves, about a handfull (8). And 8 inpa leaves and 8 niditau leaves. Pound all of this together and squeeze juice out and bath in this then jump into a clear river to wash it off. 1b. Handful of leaves mashed with grated coconut and put in a shell, heat stones and put in shell, then take hot liquid to rub on body of woman who have just delivered to make their bodies healthy again, back to normal – when they deliver they are in huts, then wash with this and then come out of the huts and rejoin family. 2. Symbolic plant for peace (name means peace). 3. Message plant – put small tips of leaves in hair or make hat out of it and people know you come in peace. 4. When giving a gift, put this leaf on the gift, as in a basket – people wear them they are happy and peaceful – it is symbolic of Aneityumese people – so even when the people leave the island they will grow this plant. 5. People bathe with this leaf, mixed with grated coconut and cover body and hair to smell good and be strong. 6. Mosquito repellant, build fire, put green leaves on top, smoke and aroma chases mosquito away. 7. Take top of leaf with 3 young leaves and put in hair as there is the belief that this plant symbolizes the trinity. So it protects people. If a person from the island goes elsewhere and is faced with black magic they bathe with a handful of leaves, boil them and bathe with the liquid to remove the spell. 8. Decorate people with this leaf day feasts, weddings, and other events – very sacred.

Scientific name: Euodia hortensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3286)

Scientific name: Calophyllum neoebudicum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. Whitespotted surgeonfish

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: Jack Keitadi

n. water; fresh water

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. yellow colored vine to 1 m tall, flower buds white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4879)

Scientific name: Cassytha filiformis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. parasitic vine hanging off the side of a cliff, growing along coast. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4147)

Scientific name: Cassytha filiformis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. herb, growing along the river at the edge of secondary forest. Stems pale green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3642)

Example: As a local toothbrush, take two pieces of stems, bend them and use to brush teeth with water. This plant acts like sandpaper to clean the teeth. Can also be used to brush pots.

Scientific name: Equisetum debile, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[kanaθ] n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Aneityum

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[kurimataʊ] n. cow (lit. dog’s older brother)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[maʊ ipiŋ] n. night of spirits; "left night"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3492)

Example: 1. Used for firewood. Whole plant used to make a broom for sweeping by tying the small branches together. The very topmost leaves are used when planting kava, as a “superstition” you hold a lead between your big and second toes when tamping the earth down for a kava plant, to give power to earth so kava grows well. 2. This plant is used to make a local broom. Collect a number of branches, let them dry in the sun--the leaves will fall off--then tie the branches together with a piece of Pandanus leaf or any other vine that is handy.

Scientific name: Leucopogon cymbulae, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3710)

Example: The nut of this tree is edible. Crack open the fruit and eat the seed raw. It can also be used to plug holes in a canoe.

Scientific name: Canarium harveyi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. species of pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. mimosa (plant)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. a plant with red leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4107)

Scientific name: Cyrtandra cf. aneiteensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte on tree trunks, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4103)

Scientific name: Spiridens sp., Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a light wind; the beginning of a wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4752)

Scientific name: Croton insularis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a reed frame for supporting the tendrils of yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. well branched tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3651)

Example: Poles made from this plant are used for house rafters and burned for firewood. To plant taro in a swampy area, collect the leaves of this species and put them in the hole where the taro is to be planted, mix with a bit of soil and then plant the taro on top of that. Leaves are a type of fertilizer. Used when baking with the earth oven. Hot stones cover the food and then the leaves from this plant cover the stones. The leaves stay on the branch.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. east

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 146

n. hedge

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 156

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4769)

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. stone wall for building a garden

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. north-north-east wind, between "natoga" and "natoga matahau an jap"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 168

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. a small water-plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. herb to 20 cm, flowers blue. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4922)

Example: Roast the tuber of this vine on an open fire for 20-40 minutes, peel off the skin and eat like cassava or taro. Chew it and drink the "juice" while spitting out the fiber. It grows wild, season of harvesting is in May. Very tasty food for people, considered "numba wan" food for this island.

Scientific name: Plectranthus scutellarioides, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nɛθoʊn] n. foot, leg

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. bunch of bananas; also "nigainohos"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

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. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3724)

Scientific name: Acanthus ilicifolius, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tender shoots

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a species of fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

[niaŋa a nʊpsiʤman] n. fingernail

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 2 m ,fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4884)

Example: When the new leaves form on this plant, people say that it is time to plant taro. The wood of the larger tree is good for posts.

Scientific name: Decaspermum neoebudicum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3510)

Example: The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time.

Scientific name: Macaranga dioica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

[niʧɛn asŋa] n. teeth (all)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of seashell

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3627)

Scientific name: Polyalthia nitidissima, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[niʧep] n. mat for sitting

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. orchard

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 169

n. seed (general term)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4895)

Example: To make bush ropes, remove outer bark, use to tie things when other ropes are not available. This plant is sour and toxic if the fruits or leaves are eaten. Animals will not eat this plant. The elders teach us not to eat this plant.

Scientific name: Wikstroemia indica, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. manioc

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine, growing in open disturbed area. Flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3589)

Example: 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.

Scientific name: Jasminum didymum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nuhialeɣ upni] phr. Good morning. (greeting in early morning, 6 o’clock to 9:30-10 o’clock)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nuhu] n. floating rock from the volcano

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. fallen tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3609)

Example: The leaves of this palm are used for thatch. Split trunks for house walls. Middle fiber of pinnae for broom. Seed is carved – handcrafts.

Scientific name: Metroxylon warburgii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

n. first quarter of the moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Marattia smithii

Example: Frond: bathe in infusion, neurodermatitis and infantile eczema

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442