Aneityum

v. bite, sing

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. break soft things (like bread, cassava, taro, etc.); cut in half

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. shut (something)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

v. to grow

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[eroʊ] num. two

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[et aʤuʤaj an ouʤeiko] phr. he went up there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. trees; fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. a place down, or westward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. tree. Acting as a fence post. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #24)

Example: 1. For vomiting/uneasyness - remove the bark of a stem and take the inner bark (this should be white). Smash the white bark with about 150ml of cold water and drink. The bark can also be boiled and cooled down to drink cold. Believes when you vomit a lot this will restore your body and give you energy again. Take after vomiting but can use even when not sick. 2. For stomache ache - Can also be prepare and taken as in part 1. 3. For painful urination, also prepared as in part 1. 4. The fruits are sticky and used as a type of local “glue.” Collect the fruits when ripe, hold the outside of the fruit in the hand, and put the end of the fruit that has the sticky sap on paper or anything else needing to be glued. In ancient times, this sticky glue helped join the strings together that were used to make a long fishing line. 5. In ancient times this sticky glue helped join the strings together when making a long one for fishing. 6. During the heat of the day, in the hot season, take inner bark from 1 stick, scrape bark into 1 liter water and drink all day to help prevent a person from getting urinary infection, resulting in painful urination from being in the sun too much. 7. If you put the leaves of this plant in a bag with your fishing gear – it will help catch a lot of fish – magic. 8. Cut a 1-2 m long branch in each of 4 corners of the garden which is a rectangle, place it in an “X” at each corner, this will cleanse people who have not been cleansed who come in the garden. 9. If a person is not cleansed e.g. has not fasted from certain foods, the crops will not bear good fruits. So when gardening, people believe it is best not to eat coconut, shellfish, fish, stay away from sex, and no fermented food like breadfruit and bananas, OR if you have a visitor overnight and then you heal to cleanse yourself before going to the garden. After a woman finishes her period, she will stay out of garden for 10 days, this is specifically for kava, water taro, sugarcane and yam in the garden. Other crops – cassava, sweet potato, and taro Fiji are okay. Different Kastom for N, S, W, E people – so this Kastom is for South and Eastern people.

Scientific name: Cordia dichotoma, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3464)

Example: This is a sacred plant. The wood is used for rafters in house building. To plant taro, take an 8 cm diameter stick, sharpen it and use to make holes for planting. The stick is as long as needed for a person to stand while making the hole.

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Bluelined squirrelfish, Tahitian squirrelfish

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

Scientific name: Sargocentron tiere via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[inhɛlɛn] n. penis (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[iɲhoɣ] n. Honeyeater, black and red

Example: Photo by Lars Petersson, IBC1270200. Photo of Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis at Makira (San Cristobal) Island, Solomon Archipelago. License: All rights reserved. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Myzomela cardinalis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. calabash

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. a rainbow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[inʤap] n. sea

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[iɲeθite anawanariɲ] n. a sand drawing

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 1 m, fruits green. Secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4897)

Example: The leaves are used for compost in the taro patch. Dig a hole, line it with the leaves of this species, cove with earth and plant taro. The leaves of this species are used to cover earth ovens.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. a grove of coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. false star

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

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. tree, 12-14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3611)

Example: 1. The nut of this tree is edible and very good. Boil it with skin on or bake it in the earth oven and then cut it in half and eat. 2. Leaves for top of house ridge. 3. Leaves for fertilizing the water taro in swamps.

Scientific name: Inocarpus fagifer, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Steephead parrotfish

Example: Photo by charlie20 / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Chlorurus microrhinos, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

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. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. seat on canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. species of pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. Samoan tropical-almond (RPV #29)

Scientific name: Terminalia samoensis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3519)

Example: The stem of this plant is used for fence posts that lead to the sea, and it is resistant to salt water and lasts a long time. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use this wood on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood.

Scientific name: Sonneratia caseolaris, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. epiphytic orchid, growing in dense rainforest. Fruit green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4110)

Scientific name: Coelogyne lamellata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 182

[inwei] n. water

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4758)

Scientific name: Pyrostegia venusta, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3645)

Example: The ripe fruits of this plant are edible and said to be delicious as well as smell very good. When the fruits turn brown and soft you can open it and there will be a shell like an upsidedown turtle shell. You can eat the fruit out. As the fruit smells good, people put a basket of ripe fruits in their homes to give it a good smell. The unripe fruits can be eaten, but only when cooked in an earth oven so it is not sticky. The tree can be used for sawn timber. Can be used for building house, specifically the house posts. Number one timber.

Scientific name: Burckella obovata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the center rib of the coconut leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

v.n. to walk abroad

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. tree to 5 m, fdby 35 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4979)

Example: The fruits are edible and ripen during November-December. The leaves can be boiled as a medicine. If a person has a hoarse voice, boil 4 or or a few more leaves in 1 liter of water. Cool the mixture and drink once daily until the voice returns to normal. The trunk of this tree is good for timber, as it is a very hard wood. But a productive tree is not cut for timber--only the wild mangos that have flowers and small fruits that do not ripen; these trees are cut for timber. This particular tree, "Mango Amgie" bears fruit with a great deal of fiber, so the name refers to the "mango that you drink." Amgie means "drink" in the Aneityum language. There is another variety of mango, "Mango Cig" that means the mango that you eat. It has a little fiber but good fleshy fruits. This species is introduced from outside of Aneityum.

Scientific name: Mangifera indica, Speaker: Tony Keith

[naɣawʊnjit] n. fish (sp. with thick lips)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4069)

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Harlequin sweetlips, many-spotted sweetlips

Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. low-growing, creeping vine growing in grassy area just inland from coastal strand. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3224)

Example: Long time ago used seeds to make necklaces, don’t last long.

Scientific name: Canavalia rosea, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[najsiom] n. bird nest

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. isle, island

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 160

n. herb, growing along garden area. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3595)

Example: 1. As a medicine for dengue fever, take a handful of stem apices of this plant, boil in 1-2 cups of water and drink this amount 3x daily, cold, until the fever goes away. This treatment is said to give a person strength during the course of the illness. 2. Take top branch – 2 leaves and put under baby’s pillow, baby will fall into a deep sleep.

Scientific name: Physalis angulata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. herb to 1 m,flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4893)

Example: To make rope, cut the stems, tie together in a bundle and place in the sea. Cover the bundle with rocks for about a week, then take it out, wash it, dry in the sun until the fibers bleach white and use to make grass skirts. This is the process of retting. When the cyclone season is finished, the plant has flowers and fruits--in May through July--this means no danger of cyclones.

Scientific name: Urena lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. tree to 10 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4929)

Example: The wood is hard and used as a spade to dig holes for planting taro. Make spears for fishing out of the stems, either by sharpening them or putting wires on the end.

Scientific name: Xylosma guillauminii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. epiphyte on fallen tree, growing in disturbed forest. Fruit. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3474)

Example: When children feel weak, this is a good medicine for them. Squeeze the leaves and give the child (3-5 years of age) one tea spoon of the juice and it is said to make them strong again.

Scientific name: Appendicula reflexa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3456)

Example: 1. The leaves of this plant are used as a fertilizer when a person plants taro "to help to feed the ground for next year." 2. Sapwood of this tree, and one more [GMP 3591], in old days take from west side and cross mountain to the east, and on red clay mountain, burn it to make spirits to give more sun instead of rain so that gardens will grow well.

Scientific name: Scaevola cylindrica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 4-5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3542)

Example: Some people use the dried leaves of this plant when there is no tobacco. Roll the leaves and smoke them. This is a good plant to lay under as a shade along the coast. Good firewood. The leaves are used with other leaves as part of a ceremony to calm the sea.* Burn leaves in a special place and toss ashes in the sea – sea will be calm.* When you are paddling to another island. Carry them with you and toss in sea as you go. Also goes with fasting and cleansing when traveling in this way.

Scientific name: Argusia argentea, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nawʊnoan] n. neck

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[ɲataʊ] n. shell (big)

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

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n a plant, with upright clumping. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #25)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4young leaves of nafanu and mash and squueze 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

Scientific name: Bambusa vulgaris

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 tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. lightning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. shrub to 2 m, dbh 3 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4862)

Example: The common name of this plant refers to the footprint of a chicken. Mix the dried leaves of this plant with pieces of coconut and feed to chickens. They are said to really like it. Plant the shrub near the place that chickens are kept. This feed will make the chickens produce more eggs and also increase the number of healthy chickens.

Scientific name: Acalypha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. hemlock

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 157

n. land newly planted with taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. Skipjack tuna

Example: Photo by Krw130lm / Fishes of Australia, License: CC BY-A-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Katsuwonus pelamis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tree, 16-18 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3722)

Example: The small stems of this plant are used to hold the outrigger to the canoe. The larger wood is good for sawn timber.

Scientific name: Agathis macrophylla, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

Scientific name: Dysoxylum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nesŋan ʤap] n. waves (beach)

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the name of a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

[nijaʊ] n. March (lit. a kind of plant like bamboo but smaller)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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] n. tooth

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. small tree-fern, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3269)

Scientific name: Cyathea, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nipʧin niri] n. shell (empty)

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

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. Hornstedtia sp.

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

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

n. orchard

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 169

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3703)

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a bunch of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. a halo around the sun or moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. liana climbing on broken mango tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3515)

Example: 1. The ripe fruit of this plant is edible. It was introduced to the island and is considered a foreign vine. 2. 4 leaves of this and 4 leaves of Annona muricata and boil in water and let get warm and wash children when they have measles and fever. Edible fruit – very sweet.

Scientific name: Passiflora maliformis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[toŋ] n. tongue

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adj. sour, applied to the water in coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

adj. made of branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. white sweet potato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati