Aneityum

adj. crooked

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. sun just down

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 48

[ahe] v. prepare soil for taro planting, by removing the topsoil, putting down special leaves, and replacing topsoil

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to go up, or go east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. shut (something)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3520)

Example: Children sometimes eat this fruit but it smells bad. Adults do not eat it. An introduced species so there is no local name.

Scientific name: Annona glabra

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

v.n. go before

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

adj. green, blue

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

conj. conjunction to join sentences together (used with "par")

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. coconut basket

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the Pleiades, the seven stars

Speaker: David Nasauman

[inɣap] adj. red (?)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4794)

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. Blue-spotted large-eye bream

Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Gymnocranius microdon via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a runner, the fruit of which is round like a cake

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4933)

Example: The wood is light and used to make paddles for canoes.

Scientific name: Symplocos aneityensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. daylight

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. a plantation

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. epiphyte, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3664)

Example: This plant is used to make a head garland, but if you are going hunting or fishing do not put this on your head as you will not be successful in your quset. This is the grass skirt for the spirits; you can hear them but you cannot see them.

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. epiphyte on fallen log on ground, growing in dense rain forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4012)

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. breadfruit

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. the following day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

n. a plantation of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. food or seed of all sorts; the juice of any plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 182

adv. a long time ago

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. Melastoma malabathricum (RPV #132)

Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Homalium aneityense (RPV #105)

Scientific name: Homalium aneityense, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a native pudding made of taro, coconut milk, etc.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 0. 5-0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3565)

Example: The leaves are used to feed livestock. The large timbers are used for house posts, and the small wood for other types of posts such as for fences.

Scientific name: Leucaena leucocephala, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a cultivated field

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. cup (mug)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[nadimi dala] phr. five men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. the name of a tree with fruit like almonds

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

[naŋɛsɛŋa ratha] n. sun god

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. herb to 1 m, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #5003)

Example: The leaves are used to wrap fish for cooking in an open fire. If you eat a bad fish and begin to feel the effects of it a few hours later, such as with Ciguatera illness, cut the base of the stem of this plant and let the sap drip into a half coconut shell with coconut water in it, drink the shell and it will make the person vomit out the bad food. It does not taste good but is very effective in making a person vomit as it contains a toxic compound.

Scientific name: Crinum asiaticum, Speaker: Tony Keith

[naɣo aɣo] n. just after sundown, still light

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nakajaŋ] n. palm of hand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

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

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

Scientific name: Spiridens sp., Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. scandent shrub, growing along strand in coastal forest. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3688)

Example: This plant is used to make head garlands as it smells very fragrant.

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a cloud, blackness, darkness

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

[napat apeiŋ] n. black cloud

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a mound or hillock for yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

[napʊlaoʊ] n. shin

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4128)

Example: 1. The wood of this tree can be used to make posts for traditional houses.

Scientific name: Alphitonia zizyphoides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. epiphytic fern on tree trunk, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4087)

Example: 1. The name refers to a crustacean and also to the spines of bamboo.

Scientific name: Prosaptia contigua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the north-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. the poison of the inhac

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. a crop; fruit which grows spontaneously

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

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

[nawuraniŋ alpas] phr. thank you very much

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. prostrate creeping vine along coastlines. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #10)

Example: 1. To cure rubbush blood - Take a handfull f leaves of any age, pound it into a cupfull of water, squeeze the juice and drink when woman feels pain in head or inside the body or when the inside of the body is hot. Drink this once a day until the pain goes away. 2. To cure excessive bleeding after giving birth - boil naojapdak leaves (2-16) in seawater until leaves are soft and the water is brown. Sit on this water. 3. To close the cervix - boil 2 naojapdak leaves in water and bath in it. 4. Medicine: Smash leaves 1 handful, into cup and add a small amount of water to treat constipation—1 cup for children; 1.5 litres for adults. 5. Stomachache: same treatment, will clear bowel. 6. 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.

Scientific name: Vigna marina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 6 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4865)

Example: To bring luck when fishing. Take 4 leaves with stems still on them-- first thing in the morning, when it is cool and quiet and there is not much noise, break the left hand side from two leaves and the right hand side from two leaves (total 4 half leaves) and take those pieces and put in the bag containing your fishing gear. The meaning of the local name is that "these leaves will please the Sea God" who will not understand it if a fisherman does not have leaves with them on their trip. There are groups of people who are part of the Sea Gods and you must notify these people before you go out to fish. If you have these leaves in your bag, you are said to get many fish. In the past certain people were responsible for the harvest from the sea; these people used to know this ritual. Not much known at present. Birds eat the fruit of this tree as does the flying fox.

Scientific name: Ficus glandifera, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3518)

Example: People plant this tree near the coast, specifically as small fish and shellfish hide in it to breed and people know this.

Scientific name: Rhizophora samoensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3214)

Example: This tree makes good wood for canoes as well as timbers that are cut for building houses. A decoration that is placed around the head, known as salu-salu is made from these leaves. If you wear it, people know you are from Aneityum. In the early 1950’s-1960’s, Aneityum was the main place for logging this species. Now it is rare and in need of replanting. A project from New Zealand planted pine trees in its place and they have thrived here. In the same way, the sandalwood tree was overharvested and is rare now. Timber, very resinous so good to start fire – branches good for fire. They are the ones that have the sap, if a person in in the bush and finds young tree – sapling – they will make headdress from the leaves to show they came from the bush. Also, this is a Kastom name.

Scientific name: Agathis macrophylla, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nelgoʊ waj] n. toy float, lit. "flying ship", "fast ship"

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. yellow leaves for making petticoats

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. herb to 1 m, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4892)

Example: If a person is coming to a "new" village, e.g. not their own, and they have a branch in their hand, it means that they are coming in peace and not trying to harm anyone else in the new village. Or if they are asking for something that might be found in the new village, they hold the branch of this species and pass it to a person from that village so they will accept you.

Scientific name: Sida cordifolia, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nepiŋ u nausej] n. dark clouds before the daylight breaks through

Speaker: David Nasauman

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. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. new coconut leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. a branch of red coral

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. a species of orchid (there are three on the island)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. herb to 50 cm, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4944)

Example: As a tonic medicine, collect a full handful of leaves, boil in one liter of water until fully cooked, then drink 1 cup 3x daily, warm, to treat a person who has worked too much, who is tired, to help their stomach and to help make them strong. For children and adults. Child’s dose is 1/2 cup, 3x daily until the child feels stronger.

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. orange

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 169

n. wooden dish

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shoots of plants of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

tree fern, trunk 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4102)

Example: 1. There are kinds of this plant. This is considered the white one. See GMP # 4100, textit{Cyathea sp}, which is considered the black one.

Scientific name: Cyathea

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. beach

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. kind of banana (sweet)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. a season

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 181

[nopwañ] n. Far Eastern Curlew

Example: Photo by Graham Winterflood, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Numenius madagascariensis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. the ebbing tide

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. a brook that is dry in dry weather

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 131

prep. up there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adv. over (?)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. sweet potato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati