Aneityum

[aɣes nohos] phr. I eat/bite a banana

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. remove shell of horse-chestnuts by biting; to shell "inmop"

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go up

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v.a. to go up, or go east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. go up; go east

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[amai neto] phr. chew sugarcane

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. plant

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. healed, applied to wounds; ripe; yellow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 75

v. to blossom or bring forth flowers; "alwa", to bud or bring forth leaves. "Et elwa nieg": the reeds blossom. "Et elwa intisiaicai": the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. a place up or eastward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. tomorrow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 84

n. wild kava (RPV #133)

Scientific name: Macropiper latifolium, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a tree for food; a fruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. an old coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. moderately branched treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3203)

Example: 1a. This type of hibiscus has young leaves that are reddish in color and it is an edible type. The stems are eaten during April-July. Harvest the stems, beat them and cut off the outer bark. Collect inner bark, slicing it off the stem and wrapping it in a banana type leaf with coconut milk added. Bake all night at least 8 hours, then it is eaten. Said to taste like a root vegetable. Used during the dry season when there are not many crops available. 1b. Take young shoot of the tree then pound the base to separate the base of the bark from the stem but leave it on the stem, say pound 4-5 inches around the base, then come back 3-4 months and the rest of the bark would be thicker. Then cut where it was pounded, cut stem in 1.5-foot pieces, bake on an earth oven, leaves on bottom layer (on top of charcoal) then sticks, then leaves on top, then hot stones, and then more leaves. Bake for 1.5 hours, then remove a stick at a time and use shell to scrape away outer bark, cut into 6 inch pieces, put on log, pound to make softer, put in lap lap leaves leaf wrapping, add coconut milk, put in stone oven, cook for one hour then open lap lap leaves and eat. 2. This variety is for this purpose just like Pohnpei. 3. This variety is not used for grass skirt.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[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 sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. stump of a tree; shaft of a candlestick

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

[inlolan niʧinandan] n. forehead

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. breadfruit crop in October

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

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 taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[intas anejʧom] n. Aneityumese language

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Blacksaddled coralgrouper (deep sea)

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

Scientific name: Plectropomus laevis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

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

Scientific name: Cassytha filiformis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[inʧatamaɪjn] n. rooster

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[ʧiŋkum] n. chewing gum

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. an astronomy term; no definition given

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. arrowroot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. low-growing, creeping vine growing in grassy area just inland from coastal strand. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3223)

Example: A "calendar plant". When the flowers open, the birds are said to be fat and good for hunting.

Scientific name: Dendrobium mohlianum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3530)

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. Crinum asiaticum; variation asiaticum L.

Example: from leaves taken internally as a laxative to treat ciguatera and against asthma

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 439

[naha] n. plant for wrapping fish, lily plant that grows in coastal areas

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Scientific name: Cardiospermum halicacabum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. east

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 146

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers greenish-white. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4932)

Example: The roots are used to treat toothache. Take the roots, strip off the outer bark and chew the root. Stops pain from the toothache. Use 3x daily until the pain is gone.

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of cabbage

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3622)

Example: People use the leaf of this plant to tie over grated banana, taro or other foods for cooking in an earth oven or boiling in a pot. The root of this species is edible. Cook it for 2-3 nights in an earth oven and then chew and squeeze the juice into your mouth, spitting out the fiber.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. large-leafed orange mangrove (RPV #93)

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. full of seeds, as the pawpaw apple

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. Sailfin tang

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

Scientific name: Zebrasoma velifer, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the canoe (constellation), or Orion

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub to 4 m, fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4987)

Example: This leaf is used as the upper layer of leaves on the earth oven. If the leaves of #4986 are in short supply, people cover the first layer of stones in the earth oven with these. The stems of this plant are used as tinder to light fires. The seeds are poisonous.

Scientific name: Ricinus communis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4127)

Example: 1. This wood can be used to start a fire, where there are no matches. Two dried pieces of wood are rubbed vigorously together to create tinder. The tinder is then added to dried material in order to start a fire. 2. The wood of this plant is used as rafters in traditional houses.

Scientific name: Melochia odorata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

n. before daylight

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. lithophyte, growing on rock in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4038)

Scientific name: Antrophyum plantagineum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. type of fruit

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. fruit (general term)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, pendant (1.7 m long) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3648)

Example: Name means pile of fish. To protect a conservation area and restock it, collect pile of stems and leaves and put in a pool of water with stones on it. Fish will come and breed and area will have more fish. Fish in general

Scientific name: Dendrobium involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Barringtonia asiatica L.

Example: inner bark: ground, added to dug pools in the sea as fish poison

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

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 plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3685)

Example: Sharpen the end of a straight pole of this tree and use it to plant taro in a swampy area. For family planning. Scratch away the inner bark into your hand and mix with 1/4 cup salty water. Woman the uses (not specified how to use) it after her monthly period to protect her from getting pregnant.

Scientific name: Decaspermum neoebudicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub to small tree, growing in clumps among rocks in open area along river. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4064)

Example: 1. This plant is an indication of good soil. 2. Dry wood is used as a firewood.

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3507)

Example: The young leaves and fruits are edible; the fruits are eaten ripe. This species is used for firewood as well as house posts, but they don’t last as long as other types of wood so they are used in temporary structures. A sacred plant on Aneityum. Name means linkage between this world and the spirit world. Agriculture – you find this tree ?? it means that the land is fertile. Birds eat fruits; people burn the tree to release ash and fertilizer and grow their taro around it – it will give more food. Message plant – if someone puts a long brown on your door or in your garden, it means “why are you here?” Implies that you should go back to where you belong. You don’t belong in this place. For example instead of quarreling over land dispute, put the branch and it means that you should leave this place.

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 4 m tall, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4942)

Example: Wood is strong and light so used to build houses.

Scientific name: Melicope latifolia, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nikmesej] n. blue sky

Speaker: David Nasauman

[ninɛhɛn] n. scales

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. the shark (constellation?)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of seashell

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niriθ] n. gills

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. fruit; also "nohwan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. corn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 138

n. cycad to 3 m tall, 25 cm dbh (collection: Michael J. Balick #5010)

Example: In the past there were no toys for the children, so people made toys from the seed of this plant. They peeled the fruit, took the seed, removed the inside, punched one hole on each side, put a string through each of the holes and twisted the string to spin the seed such that it would make a whistling sound as the fruit spun faster and faster. On Palm Sunday, people use this leaf in Church. People plant this cycad around their homes and use it as an ornamental. Some people believe that having this plant around their homes will keep the bad spirits away.

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. seed (general term)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nowanavin] n. sand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. leaves for an oven

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 182

[oŋmraŋ] n. old (man)

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

[toŋ] n. tongue

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

v.a. to heap up earth to taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

n. three days ago; three days hence

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[jaŋ] n. yellow (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi