Aneityum

v.a. pass over or through a country

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. climb

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (in the deep sea)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to collect raw food, as sugarcane taro, for a feast of uncooked food

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. red (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tendrils; small branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 71

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to weed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 79

n. without branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 130

n. small tree, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4020)

Example: 1. The name of this plant translates as bad tooth, and relates to its use as a plant used to poison others. If one wants to commit an evil act against another, he or she will rub the leaves together and squeeze them over the targets food. It will make their teeth rotten and fall off quickly. More information witheld.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vegetables; herbs, as taro, bananas; every vegetable planted for food

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. a bundle of wood for fire

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

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. multicolored taro, fancy-leaved caladium (RPV #146)

Scientific name: Caladium bicolor, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

[inhapli] n. small

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. taro patch

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Foxface

Example: Photo by Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Siganus vulpinus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a branch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. shrub to 1. 5 m tall, leaves green with red stripes (collection: Michael J. Balick #4978)

Example: The leaves are used to wrap fish, lap-lap for cooking in the earth oven. Boil the leaves as a medicine for women with excessive menstrual bleeding. Cut 2 leaves and boil in 2 liters of water, cool and drink 1 cup daily for 3 days. This is said to slow the menstrual bleeding. Local name "Amya" means menstruation.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. a hedge; a shelter

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in open area at edge of forest (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3480)

Example: This plant is a "message flower." If a person puts this flower behind their ear or in their hat, and looks at another person, it is an invitation to that person to go with you to the nakamal. Or a man invites a woman to go somewhere with him. Alternatively, you can leave the flower on a table and this is also a message to go with a person. Leaves also used to wrap foods. Decorate yard around the house.

Scientific name: Spathoglottis petri, 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 shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #5)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. For a baby that is not doing well, as with malnourished, take 4-5 leaves, put in warm water and wash baby – 1x day for 3 days. 6. Use to make temporary house.

Scientific name: Trema cannabina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

Scientific name: Pyrostegia venusta, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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

[lawoñ] n. Vanuatu Scrubfowl (Used to live here, died out, now only live up north)

Example: Photo by Dubi Shapiro, IBC1406511. Photo of Vanuatu Scrubfowl Megapodius layardi at Palikulo Point, Vanuatu. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Megapodius layardi, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. the stem of a coconut leaf used for a butt

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. herb to 1 m, fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4915)

Example: This plant was said to have been brought in by the early missionaries, used to starch their clothes and grown as a crop for export to England. Used as a food crop as well, the root is mashed, dried in the sun and kept until needed. To process, put the roots in a bowl, add water and soak for 1 day and night, pour off the water and keep the starch. Prepare this food like lap-lap that is cooked on a fire in a pan.

Scientific name: Tacca leontopetaloides, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

adv. (already?)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. half tide when rising

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the middle of the afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. sun

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Crinum asiaticum L.

Example: subterranean part used as mouthwash for toothache (Crinum asiaticum)

Speaker: Bradacs, Gesine, Jörg Heilmann, & Caroline S. Weckerle (2011). Medical plant use in Vanuatu: A compa

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[naɣai milmat] n. before sun comes up, just light enough to see green toward the east looking down from a hill, "green place"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3488)

Example: The wood of this species is very straight and people make fishing spears out of it. The wood, being straight, is used as well for roof rafters.

Scientific name: Pavetta opulina, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. half-tide, ebbing

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 155

n. half-tide when ebbing

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. sapling, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4106)

Example: 1. Sapling wood is used to make fishing spears. A straight sapling is first heated in the fire to render it pliable. The sapling is further straightened and then decorticated. Once cooled, wire can be added a prong to the end of the spear.

Scientific name: Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. fern. Growing in a village back path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #29)

Example: 1. To cure when the anus falls out - Pound together 1 braches worth of inpalcapnesgin leaves and of both inloptiri (2-4 leaves, any age), also take the inner bark of nekeaitimi and nakhe. Put this into your hand, or another leaf and give it to the person to use it. This should be applied to the anus whenever the anus comes out. USed to use a clam shell to extract the bark but not anymore.

Scientific name: Ptisana smithii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3217)

Example: 1a. When traveling past a community you can place these leaves in a basket or walk with it in your hand. In this way people in the community know that you are traveling in peace and will cause no harm to people in that village. 1b. Message plant – if you go to visit someone and they are not there, you leave a branch of this on the door or somewhere they can see it and they know that some relatives have come and tried to visit them.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphytic liana, growing in primary forest. Bracts orange-red at base. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4029)

Example: 1. The roots of this plant are used to make "Nopoy"--a traditional trap used to catch fish and lobster. The outer bark of the roots are removed and sun-dried. The roots are then split into several pieces and they are woven in an open fashion similar to a "noporapora"--a type of market basket fashioned from coconut leaflets.

Scientific name: Freycinetia cf. reineckei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Slender silver-biddy

Example: Photo by John E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0

Scientific name: Gerres oblongus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a mound or hillock for yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

[narasɛn] n. skin

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. epiphytic orchid, growing in dense rainforest. Flowers orange. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4113)

Example: 1. Children often take the leaves of this plant and blow across the surface of a taut leaf to make a whistle sound. Older folks say this blowing invited rain.

Scientific name: Liparis condylobulbon, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the juice of the breadfruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

[natʔhat] n. wall

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4065)

Example: 1. When a sea shell pricks you "Inlac", a person can be lifted by magic using these leaves. Further information about this use withheld.

Scientific name: Macropiper latifolium, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb, growing among stones and rocks at edge of river in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3674)

Example: People say it can remove the power of a love potion.

Scientific name: Hemigraphis reptans, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. species of sycamore (117); a sycamore fig (97)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97, 117

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. terrestrial fern, 1. 5-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3501)

Example: These ferns can cause injury during the dry season as they can stick into a person, so they are intentionally burned to avoid this.

Scientific name: Dicranopteris linearis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. blade, as of corn or grass

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 128

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3604)

Example: The fruits are edible when ripe--eating them turns the tongue purple. 1. To cure headaches - Someone other than the woman must prepare this. Break the top branch of netethae and remove leaves for use. Combine with the top leaves of the top branch of nelmaha. Chew the leaves and drink the juice. Do this when the sun is setting on the horizon. The woman gives the leftover fibers to the person who prepared the medicine and that person goes and throws the fibers in the direction of the setting sun. 2. Ancestors 4 top branches and chew and spit out remaining fiber will destroy the effects of a love potion that is too strong – meaning that the husband or wife will miss the other person too much so that they become mentally ill. 3. Edible fruits: eating them turns tongue black/purple.

Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. coconuts used for sea fermentation

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the castor-oil plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. Ambon emperor

Example: Photo by FAO / Fishbase, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Lethrinus amboinensis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. new coconut leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

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

n. herb, 25-30 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3696)

Scientific name: Zingiber zerumbet, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. fallen tree, growing in canopy gap in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3465)

Example: When the flowers of this plant are green, it is an indication that the cool season is approaching; when the flowers are brown, the dry season is coming. The wood is used to make rafters for the roof of houses, on which to tie thatch.

Scientific name: Commersonia bartramia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3491)

Example: Name means smash tooth. 1. This is part of an unspecified mixture that can be used as a spell to give another person a toothache. 2. Toothache – chew leaves on the sore tooth and leave it there for a while and spit it out – it will break the tooth and you can take it out, leave on 20 minutes.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus myrianthus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vine climbing up a macaranga tree, growing in open disturbed area. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3588)

Example: 1. 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. However, it is not as strong as GMP #3589. 2. For men who want rasta in hair, take a few leaves and dry them, burn with some other plants to rub on the rasta and keeps it healthy, keep from splitting.

Scientific name: Geitonoplesium cymosum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[ninɛhɛn nʊmʊ] n. fish scales

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[niʧep] n. mat for sitting

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a native pudding made with yam and coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. ripe bananas

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[noweɪ yaŋ] n. July (lit. a kind of wood when it’s leaves become yellow)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. meadow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 165

n. Sirius, the Dog Star

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. the morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. the early morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. liana, climbing on Garcinia tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3585)

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

n. epiphyte on Syzygium tree, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. old fruits. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3660)

Example: Put several leaves of this species together to wrap food, especially the fresh water eel, and to carry plants of taro, kava, holding the leaves over one’s shoulder to carry these crops. Used as a baby’s remedy for when the baby is crying too much because the parents are having to much sex. The baby will also be slow to grow and be thin. To remedy this, must wash the baby with the following mixture: nekei atimi (bark), nohos atimi (green skin of the stem), nepnatimi ataman (part not specified). Scrap about 1 inch cubed of the nekei atimi into your hand along with 1in x 4in of the first layer of the green skin of the banana stem (nohos atimi), and the top 8 leaves from about two separate branches of the nepnatimi ataman. Bind all ingredients together and pound them and put everything in the baby’s water for bathing. Wash the baby in water made with this mixture. Do not wipe the baby dry but let it air dry. The next day when you wash the baby with soap, you must re-wash them with the mixture again. Do this for 5 days with the same water mixture. It may small bad but that is okay. Finally on day 5, take the juice from the outter layer of skin on the stem of the banana, nohos atimi, and give a full spoonful of the juice to the baby to drink. Other plants can be added to the bathing water but these are the three primary ingredients.

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

adv. seaward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

[rak͡pad] n. black hawk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. a second growth, as grass that springs up after being burned

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107