Aneityum

v.n. go up

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v. to weed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 68

v. drink

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to plant taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

v. to emit sound from a bottle or coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

n. plant shoots; also "ehcohodaig"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 183

v. to seek food, as taro; to gather, to reap

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 74

v. drip, as a bucket filled with water drips

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. strength

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. afraid; fright

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[et at̚pu an] phr. he is hiding

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[itij] num. one

Speaker: David Nasauman

v. to grow again, as hair, feathers, plants; to come out, as teeth

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. bramble

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 130

n. flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3543)

Example: Red, dried fruits are fed to small chicks as food.

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3445)

Example: Remedy new cuts – rub leaves together or chew them and put on cut, cover with leaf or cloth.

Scientific name: Lantana camara, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4033)

Scientific name: Planchonella, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the name of a poisonous plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. tree, 6-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3218)

Example: 1. Take a handful of leaves, squeeze with the hands into 1/2 liter of water, drink when tired; said to open the "blood nerves" and to purify the blood and make the muscles of the male sexual organ strong. 2a. When a person is planting watermelons in the garden, as the vines grow, split them and perforate the vines with a sharpened stick. This practice is said to ensure that the watermelons will be as prolific as the seeds in Vitex. 2b. If you plant vines in your garden like cucumber, beans, melons, pierce the stem with a small sliver of this branch and it will make the vine have more fruit.

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a bamboo flute

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3713)

Example: The wood of this tree is light and strong and used to carve canoe paddles. Carve the paddle from green wood as it is easier to carve then when the wood hardens.

Scientific name: Symplocos, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[inʤupara] n. evening (late afternoon)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. belt

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. coarse tassel fern (RPV #220) ("belt" + an ethnonym, plant used to make a type of ceremonial belt attrbuted to a specific ethnic group)

Scientific name: Huperzia phlegmaria, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4104)

Example: 1. This plant is considered bad luck when hunting or fishing. When doing these activities, do not decorate your hair with them. 2. This plant is used to weave the sheath portion of "nambas". First the stems are retted, then the inner portion of the plant removed. Once removed, the sheath is woven with the blanched fiber. 3. This is considered the male version of this plant. See GMP #4105, Phlegmarius sp. for the female version.

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. epiphyte on dead log, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4105)

Example: 1. This plant is considered bad luck when hunting or fishing. When doing these activities, do not decorate your hair with them. 2. This plant is used to weave the sheath portion of "nambas". First the stems are retted, then the inner portion of the plant removed. Once removed, the sheath is woven with the blanched fiber. 3. This is considered the female version of this plant. See GMP #4104, Phlegmarius sp. for the male version.

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus squarrosus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. croton plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 139

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4124)

Scientific name: Trichospermum inmac, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[inmejcop] n. Swamp Harrier

Example: Photo by birdsaspoetry / Flickr, License: CC BY-SA-NC 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Circus approximans, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Tahitian chestnut (RPV #47)

Scientific name: Inocarpus fagifer, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a clearing of bush or reeds

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. Spathoglottis petri (RPV #166)

Scientific name: Spathoglottis petri, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. stoloniferous herb, 15 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3561)

Example: In the past the ancestors learned to cook the leaves of this species with fish in an earth over and then eat the leaves as well as the fish. Today, fish are wrapped with small leaves and then covered with lap-lap leaf (Polyscias) and cooked in an earth oven.

Scientific name: Wedelia uniflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. 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

v. to gather beans

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

adj. behind

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. fishing line

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. coconut crab

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

n. sterile herb, juvenile form (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3438)

Example: This plant is used as a starchy food. To prepare it, grarte it into a dish, wash with water, the starch settles to the bottom, pour off the water, dry the starch in the sun and make it into a powder. The starch can be cooked with coconut milk and eaten.

Scientific name: Tacca leontopetaloides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

[naθran ɣap] n. smoke

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[naŋeseŋa] n. sun

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

[nakro] v. chief shares a large amount of food with another district

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. well branched tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4081)

Example: 1. The wood is used to carve a bi-handle bowl from which chiefs would drink kava.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4778)

Scientific name: liana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4926)

Example: Use the leaves to make compost to be placed at the bottom of the hole where taro is to be planted, cover with soil and grow the taro in that hole. Serves as a fertilizer.

Scientific name: Scaevola taccada, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. vine, growing on rocks at end of strand near coastal forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3690)

Example: As a medicine to treat toothache, the latex from this vine is put into the tooth as soon as the person feels pain. Use 3x daily until the pain has subsided. The flower is used as a decoration behind the ear. When there are rough seas because someone has trespassed in a tabu area you can take 12 leaves from the napalhat and put them in a pond for about 1 week until they start to stink. Then use we leaves from the naojapdak and drown those leaves in either a fresh water pond or salty water. (No further information given). Can also take an armful of napalhat and place on top of a stone in the tabu area with a smaller stone on top of the napaphat. The stone must be a large permanent stone. Has also heard people say it can be used for toothache if you put the leaf on the tooth.

Scientific name: Hoya australis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4099)

Example: 1. The name means "cloud". The plant is usually found on high ridges, in areas where there is often high moisture.

Scientific name: Callistopteris apiifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. skin, peel (of fruit)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a sweet-smelling plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. high mountain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. herb, growing at edge of garden area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3601)

Example: This is a "calendar plant". In winter months, if a person sees this plant in flower it is confirmation that the sea turtle has plenty of grease or fat and is good to eat. As a medicine for a cut, collect some leaves, mash them and squeeze the juice on a cut or sore on the body. Do this treatment 3x daily until the sore dries up or the cut heals.

Scientific name: Ageratum conyzoides, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3534)

Example: This tree has very hard wood. 1. Use the small stems to plant dry land or swamp taro, sharpening the end and pushing it into the ground to make a hole. 2. It also is useful for fence, posts for houses. 3. Small stems are also used to make a comb for the hair. 4. Plant pole for taro kava. 5. A branch is shaped and used to husk coconut. 6. The wood is hard and in ancient times people would take a forked piece and put string on one side of it, sharpen the other side and use with the string as a fish hook – need to keep rope tight until it is in the canoe. Do not give it slack – strong use AAM 17.

Scientific name: Halfordia kendack, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[neθelat] n. basket for clothes; carrying infants; transporting plants

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3271)

Example: Used as a leaf compost for planting taro, layered on the bottom of the hole and covering the taro as well.

Scientific name: Melicope triphylla, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[neθwonomo] n. fish bones

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a hurricane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. the south wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. epiphyte on prop roots and main tree trunks, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4044)

Scientific name: Asplenium amboinense, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. terrestrial fern, growing on rocky area in secondary forest above the river. Leaves c. 3 m long. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3654)

Example: The leaf is wrapped around the head as an adornment by both men and women. If a person gets burned by a fire, scrape the petiole of this plant and squeeze juice on the wound to cool and heal it. Use as long as needed. The ancestors are said to have cooked the stump of this plant in an earth oven, over 2-3 nights, and then ate it. It is said to have no taste but was more of a famine food during periods of drought.

Scientific name: Angiopteris evecta, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree to 20 m, dbh 50 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4910)

Scientific name: Dysoxylum molle, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. hard outer shell of crab

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3468)

Scientific name: Micromelum minutum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[niɣɛn nʊmʊ] n. fish tail

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree. Found in the village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #14)

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 growing, 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: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3213)

Example: 1. When a person has a headache from being out in the sun too long, scrape the outer bark off of the stem of this tree, take scrapings of the inner bark, wrap with a leaf of breadfruit and put in a fire for 15-20 minutes. Not a hot fire, but only in the flame. Squeeze the water out of the bark when it is warm and rub all over the forehead and face to help the headache go away. 2. Use the stems of this tree as a stick to carry taro from the field, as the stick is strong but not too heavy. The taro is tied to each end to balance on a person’s shoulders. 3. Leaf used for wrapping local medicines. This is the best leaf and put it on the charcoal to heat it. 4. Good firewood.

Scientific name: Macaranga dioica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nija] n. cup for bait

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. shrub, 1-1. 25 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3591)

Example: The fruits of this species are edible when ripe (black) and are very sweet. It grows in the white grass area in the open. It is "numba one" fruit. If a person eats a lot of these it turns their tongue reddish-purple.

Scientific name: Vaccinium macgillivrayi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4776)

Scientific name: Polyscias schmidii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. laplap leaf (RPV #154)

Scientific name: Heliconia indica var. austrocaledonica, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nopɲa] n. Red-Bellied Fruit Dove

Example: Sub-adult Red-bellied Fruit Dove. Photo by Papier K / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Ptilinopus greyii, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. pufferfish

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Black-spot surgeonfish

Example: Photo by zsispeo / Flickr.com, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Acanthurus bariene, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. liana, growing at edge of forest. Fruit. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3475)

Example: 1. When the stems of this plant are older, and it is a vine, is used to tie thatch on roof rafters as it bends well. 2. Burned leaves and rubbed on fishing line and spear to increase catch – used with other unspecified leaves, that are forageable. When you are fishing and if you set a basket or mat it means danger and you have to return to shore – the spirit is telling you that it is enough fishing.

Scientific name: Durandea pentagyna, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nʊmrɪn diʧiŋan] n. gills (of a fish)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shoots of taro for planting

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

v.n. sail inside of reef

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 180

[puarapuanan par lei] phr. he went there and he took it

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adv. down yonder

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

prep. down

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119