Aneityum

v. go down

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[ahi] adj. white (color)

Speaker: David Nasauman

adj. driven to and fro with the wind

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[ak] pro. him

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

pro. you

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. go out

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. sunset

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

adj. straight

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to begin to form, as fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v. swim

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the clear part of the moon when first seen

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

v.n. to come

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. herb to 0. 75 m tall, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4953)

Example: The young leaves are edible; these should be collected, boiled for ca. 8 minutes and eaten with other foods such as cassava. This is one of the local leaves that is said to taste quite good when cooked and mixed with other foods. Both the ripe (red) and unripe (green) fruits are added to soup and other foods as a spice or eaten fresh. The fruit of this cultivar is very hot. The fruit is also fed to chickens who seem to love to eat it.

Scientific name: Capsicum annuum, Speaker: Tony Keith

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

Scientific name: Cupaniopsis leptobotrys, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. wind-related term; no definition provided. Possibly referring to "inhalav" ’child’.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4960)

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Tony Keith

[inʤupki upni] phr. Good afternoon. (greeting around noon time, 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock, afternoon)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. epiphyte on a fallen branch, growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3287)

Scientific name: Huperzia phlegmaria, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub to 1 m, flower white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4866)

Example: When making a taro patch, and removing soil, add the leaves of this plant to the soil to fertilize the taro, and prevent the bottom part of the taro from rotting. Put a layer of leaves on the bottom of the patch before planting taro and covering with soil.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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

[inmoiʤev ʤupʤupura] n. the evening star, early star

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. fallen tree, growing in coastal vegetation along strand. Flowers orange. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3554)

Example: The stems are used for house posts as they are very strong.

Scientific name: Cordia subcordata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. island

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. coconut grating bench

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the name of a plant with a white flower; a lily

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. sprig

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. terrestrial orchid, growing along river at edge of dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4120)

Scientific name: indet, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

v. distinguish (between two things)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[ʧumasʧuma] n. Fork-tailed swift

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

Scientific name: Apus pacificus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[katɣapohoθ] n. Venus, or the morning star

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.n. to walk abroad

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

n. an astronomy term; no definition given

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

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

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

adj. ripe, as arrowroot; also "murre"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

[nadimi deroʊ] phr. two men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4766)

Scientific name: Cf. Tapirira guianensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nagag ~ naɣag] n. Sandpiper

Example: Photo by Frans Vandewalle, License: CC BY-NC 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Tringa hypoleucos, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. early morning; around 3 o’clock

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. herb to 10 cm, sterile (collection: Michael J. Balick #4985)

Example: This plant is a very important food during a famine. People dig up the roots and roast these on the embers of a fire for 25 minutes, then check the root to get out the starchy material, and spit out the fiber. There is said to be little taste; this is a bland food that a person eats to survive. People on Aneityum have harvested it for a very long time so there is not as much of a supply left as in the past.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3490)

Example: 1. The larger stems of this plant can be used to build houses, for rafters. 2. It is also a good source of firewood. 3. Ancestors, before go to chief’s canal and want to talk about a complicated issue – a person would cut a branch and bring it to the sea and tap the water surface and would say what he wants, ask that he would want that issue to be solved and that others would follow his ideas and then go back to the meeting place and take stick, keep wind at his back, moving stick in all directions and then he will convince the people of his ideas. This is done by the chief’s spokesman. Helps convince the opposition. Helps keep power in hands of parent(??) chief rather than subchiefs who might have other ideas.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, 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 banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. grass. Found along intra village path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #35)

Example: 1. Bath for babies to make them healthy and walk faster, mix with plants WAKAS (AAB 34), NITIDEI (GMP 3658 or 4043), and a grass NATUTAHUT (MJB 4945). Put all in a kettle filled of water and wash them with it – use 1 handful of each leaf.

Scientific name: Digitaria sp., Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a calm, a smooth sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3505)

Example: 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. Both the green and ripe fruits are edible.

Scientific name: Ficus storckii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4129)

Scientific name: Semecarpus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Fringelip mullet

Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Crenimugil crenilabis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[nɛθoʊn] n. bones (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tares

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 192

n. a bunch of grapes; also "nigaivaine"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. Macaranga tanarius L.

Example: Inner bark: mouthwash with decoction, toothache.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

[nɛlʝo] n. canoe

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

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

[nɛʝɲan natimi] n. footprints (human)

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. yellow leaves for making petticoats

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

[nɛpʧinoʊɣsin] n. mouth

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree to 5 m, flowers white. Growing in secondary forest with metroxylon palms and other large trees. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4954)

Example: The pear shaped fruits are eaten when ripe. Peel off the outer skin, eat inner part and discard the seed. The leaves are used to protect food as it is being cooked on an earth oven. To prepare the oven, pile hot stones, then put a layer of leaves on the stones, and then place hot stones on top of the leaves. To make a hot oven, the stones are lined in a pit, a fire lit, more stones placed on firewood and the top layer of stones gets very hot. Then, remove the stones from the top of the wood, and cook food o the bottom layer of stones, add a layer of leaves, place the food on top of this, then cover with a layer of leaves and then pile the rest of the hot stones on top of the leaves.

Speaker: Tony Keith

[nesʤiŋ ʤin] n. October (lit. time to fertilize and plant the garden)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. epiphyte on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, pendant (1. 7 m long) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3648)

Example: Name means fish skeleton. Ornamental but needs a lot of watering.

Scientific name: Dendrobium involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. edible fern

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. Macaranga dioca

Example: Inner bark: bathe in cold infusion, wounds. Mix heated over fire and taken out during sunset. Healer clenches the package in his fist, then gently punches the patients left, then right knee, then his forehead and finally squeezes over his head, migraine a

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 441

[nijom araheθ] n. lit. "round house"

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. the name of a tree, the leaves of which blister

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

[niprij ~ nipriʧ] n. Buff-banded Rail

Example: Photo by David Cook, License: CC BY-NC 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Gallirallus philippensis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. terrestrial fern on forest floor, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3482)

Example: People who go fishing take this plant along with other unspecified leaves, crush them and rub them on the fishing line that the person is using. This is said to attract more fish to the bait. It is also a "message plant" to be put in a person’s hat when they come back from fishing and then people know that they caught fish. Local name means "fish gill." For performing a weather magic ritual to produce fog, this plant is fermented along with another plant (nap̃at) in a hole in a sacred stone (called "Naemoso") at a secret location on Aneityum.

Scientific name: Schizaea dichotoma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial fern, growing in primary rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3614)

Example: People who go fishing take this plant along with other unspecified leaves, crush them and rub them on the fishing line that the person is using. This is said to attract more fish to the bait. It is also a "message plant" to be put in a person’s hat when they come back from fishing and then people know that they caught fish. Local name means "fish gill."

Scientific name: Schizaea dichotoma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nisʧi] n. wooden poles forming the structure of a roof

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. grass. Found in disturbed area behind the village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #12)

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. Main plant to thatch roof of local houses. 3. Collect the dry stems, tie together, use as a torch at night for walking or walking along the reef when fishing. 4. Take 1 cane and tie the leaves together and tie on a tree to indicate tabu – e.g. a citrus tree that will be ripe soon to tell people not to pick it. 5. To catch crabs just before sunset, burn the torch and shake the ashes on the rocks; come back an hour or so later and the crabs are attracted by the ashes and you can collect them. 6. Can also use to weave walls of house. 7. Women clean the leaves of the stem and use the hard part of the stem to strip pandanus leaf before weaving a basket. 8. Cut wild cane in half and sharpen the end, use this to cut the dried pandanus leaves into small strips. 9. Tie leaves into a knot and stick the knot on the kava stem; t is means that this kava goes “express” so the carrier goes to one border of a village and passes it to another person who knows it cannot stop in this village but goes to the next border and is passed on 10. This plant is a “message plant” to say “don’t stop,” referring to something being delivered.

Scientific name: Saccharum maximum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a bundle of reeds; also "nohudieg"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. the Futuna banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. fruit trees

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3540)

Example: The straight trunk of this tree is used to make canoes. The black seed in the fruit is used to make necklaces. The inner bark is peeled and crushed in sea water and rubbed in the hair to make it curly. People do this treatment every day to make long hair curl like a rasta.

Scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3626)

Scientific name: Arytera neoebudensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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 fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nʊpsiʤman] n. finger (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. vine climbing up ficus wassa, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4016)

Example: 1. The vine is use to lash roof rafters to house posts. The vine is collected from the forest and coiled ina figure 8 pattern. It is then heated over a fire before fastening the rafter to the post. 1 minute of heat is sufficient, before one immediately uses the vine.

Scientific name: Smilax vitiensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of breadfruit (old kind no longer known)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[rak͡pad] n. black hawk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. near; inshore; near the shore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. Yellowtail barracuda

Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Sphyraena obtusata via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. three days ago; three days hence

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141