Aneityum

[aʔo] phr. no

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[aθ tasvi] v. break strong things (like a branch, etc.)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. cover

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. Grewia inmac

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

adv. aforetime

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Futunas (bad)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. made of branches

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[asvii naret̚o] phr. break bread

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

[eroʊ] num. two

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

phr. the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

[et taiŋ inhalav] phr. baby crying

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. royal albatross

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. stringy, watery, as taro; also "ede"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4108)

Scientific name: Cupaniopsis leptobotrys, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #19)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze 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 the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men.

Scientific name: Sophora tomentosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. fishing hook

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. calabash

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. Moorish idol

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

Scientific name: Zanclus cornutus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. native petticoat

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. Tabernaemontana padacaqui

Example: leaf used for for wounds; cold maceration taken internally against "skin cancer" (severe wounds?). Stalk, chewed, influences sex of an embryo in favor of a girl.

Scientific name: Tabernaemontana padacaqui, Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. the pandanus leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 170

n. bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a convolvulus with white flowers; also "inmauwad picad"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. breadfruit crop in October

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

[inmenyau] n. Brown Goshawk

Example: Brown Goshawk juvenile. Photo by Graham Winterflood, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Accipiter fasciatus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. gaiac (RPV #43)

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 50 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4918)

Example: The fruits of this tree are collected, mixed with ground coconut, boiled in water and the oil collected. The resulting oil is used medicinally, put on the skin for any condition to promote healing. Apply once a day until the condition resolves. Also can be used to treat head lice. Add the oil mixture to the hair, massage in, keep the hair dry for a day, then wash. Use once daily for 3 days.

Scientific name: Calophyllum inophyllum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. terrestrial plant and epiphyte at base of trees, growing in cloud forest in valley between inrerow and adjacent summit. Inflorescences pale yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3278)

Scientific name: Collospermum montanum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. the afternoon; also "jupjupki"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[katamal] n. Scarlet Robin

Example: Photo by patrickkavanagh/Flickr, License: CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Petroica multicolor, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

adj. smooth, applied to sugarcane-leaf thatch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

[maja] phr. yes

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree. Growing on the coast. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #23)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze 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 the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men. 2. Firewood, house post for bush house.

Scientific name: Guettarda speciosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a burden of pandanus leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. shrub; small plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. thorn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 193

n. shrub to 2 m, coastal vegetation (collection: Michael J. Balick #4961)

Example: The stem of this plant is used for firewood. If a person has been drinking kava and the next morning feels hung over, they can take a handful of the leaves of this plant, crush them in cool water, and wash their face with this. This treatment will help the kava feeling to disappear.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. seed of a fig

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 150

n. feathers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

n. epiphytic fern on main tree trunk, growing in dry forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3504)

Example: This is a medicine to treat fresh cuts. Take the leaf of this species, macerate it and add 1 tablespoon of water and wrap in a Macaranga leaf, and then heat it on a fire. After heating, puncture the side of the Macaranga leaf and drop the hot juice on the fresh cut. This is said to be good before going to see the Dispensary or if you do not have access to a health care professional.

Scientific name: Pyrrosia confluens, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a reed frame for supporting the tendrils of yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. chaff

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 134

n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #20)

Example: 1. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 2. Plant used to check with fish has ciguatera, in same way as other collection – GMP #4768. Stick white – OK to eat. Stick black or brown – not good.

Scientific name: Erythrina variegata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. break of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of banana

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree. Village home garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #9)

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. Edible fruits, when ripe or green, does not taste when green, but sweet when ripe. 3a. Leaves (young) are edible, for example wrap around coconut meat and eat or cook with island cabbage and other leaves, boil and add coconut milk and eat. 3b. The young leaves are edible, after boiling for 5 minutes. A piece of coconut and a pinch of salt is wrapped in the leaves and eaten. The mature leaves are used to wrap food such as pig or cow meat and cooked in an earth oven. Tie this bundle with a piece of Pandanus fiber to secure it before putting in the earth oven. 4. During big feast, use this a lot – circumcison or wedding feast, harvest leaves and wrap around meat and bake on earth oven – sometimes we cut down a whole tree to gather leaves. 5. To make men’s custom belt – split stem, peel outer bark off to take inner bark and peel it, tear end to make strap that can be tied. Dry in sun but not direct sunlight. 6. Older large trunks were burned by ancestors to keep fire going – this was during the time when people did not have matches and did not need them as the embers of this tree would stay hot for days and when it was time to make a stronger fire, people would add smaller branches to make a flame appear.

Scientific name: Ficus aspera, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4887)

Example: The stem makes a good digging stick to plant taro. Also branches of this tree are cut to tie the canoe to the outrigger. Used for the small sticks that sit at the base of the larger sticks that hold the outrigger (see photos).

Scientific name: Halfordia kendack, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[neθeɣ] n. Collared Kingfisher

Example: Photo by JJ Harrison, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Todiramphus chloris, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[nɛθoʊn] n. mountain

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 25 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4903)

Example: Wood is used to make canoe as it is very light and lasts in salt water. As a styptic to stop bleeding, when a person gets a cut in the bush, scrape off outer bark and use inner bark scrapings to put on cut. Stops bleeding, leave on for one day.

Scientific name: Hernandia moerenhoutiana, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. a wing, a sheath, a covering of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. stage of coconut

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #6)

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. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead. 3. 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. 4. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 5. Used to fight against black magic in an unspecified way. 6. Roll leaf and put in pocket for protection when walk in a new area. 7. Message plant if a land dispute – if a person puts this stem or leaf in another’s garden whom they are angry with it means go away!! 8. To treat sick people, especially who fall ill from black magic to save their life. Symptoms vary, for example a person with small boils over body,* a person chews the leaf and spits it on the sick person, 1x and then puts the branch with leaves near the sick person when they sleep – 3x (1x day) branch is ca. 25cm long. (*headache, severe)

Scientific name: Ficus littoralis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nenesanej neijaŋ] n. coconut fiber for kava

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

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

Scientific name: Micromelum minutum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. the name of a poisonous plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. herb to 45 cm, seeds brown. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4888)

Example: The name of this plant means "division" -- if someone wants to help to destroy your business or home, they put this plant in front of your business or your home and this will help to scatter out your family from where they are living.

Scientific name: Vernonia cinerea, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[nijom huboʊ] n. round house; troka house, possibly named after Trochus niloticus

Speaker: David Nasauman

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

Scientific name: Polyscias schmidii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the Magellanic Clouds

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. Hornstedtia sp.

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

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

n. a native pudding made with yam and coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. beach

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. the Futuna banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. stem

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188

n. grass

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[nupʧin hoθaiŋ] n. star in the west

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. another name for masoa; arrowroot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a small red berry used as beads

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

adj. leafless; fading

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

adj. done; cooked

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi