Aneityum

v. scrape ashes off (of roasted taro)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[aɣes nohos] phr. I eat/bite a banana

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go after

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[arinʤi] adj. very strong (?)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

inter. where

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to begin to form, as fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. a place up or eastward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

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

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. small tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3528)

Example: 1. This plant is used as firewood, but also the heartwood is sold. 2. In 2016, the first grade wood was 2500 VT per kilo, the second grade wood was 2000 VT per kilo. 3. The ancestors used to take the oil or wood chips from this tree and bathe with it to keep away evil spirits of the forest. It is currently planted on Aneityum for commerce. Scrape bark of sandalwood into coconut oil in same wat as GMP 3513 (gardenia) boil and take out the bark. 4. The leaves can be fed to pigs to make them strong and heavy.

Scientific name: Santalum austrocaledonicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. an old coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. moderately branched treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3203)

Example: 1a. This type of hibiscus has young leaves that are reddish in color and it is an edible type. The stems are eaten during April-July. Harvest the stems, beat them and cut off the outer bark. Collect inner bark, slicing it off the stem and wrapping it in a banana type leaf with coconut milk added. Bake all night at least 8 hours, then it is eaten. Said to taste like a root vegetable. Used during the dry season when there are not many crops available. 1b. Take young shoot of the tree then pound the base to separate the base of the bark from the stem but leave it on the stem, say pound 4-5 inches around the base, then come back 3-4 months and the rest of the bark would be thicker. Then cut where it was pounded, cut stem in 1.5-foot pieces, bake on an earth oven, leaves on bottom layer (on top of charcoal) then sticks, then leaves on top, then hot stones, and then more leaves. Bake for 1.5 hours, then remove a stick at a time and use shell to scrape away outer bark, cut into 6 inch pieces, put on log, pound to make softer, put in lap lap leaves leaf wrapping, add coconut milk, put in stone oven, cook for one hour then open lap lap leaves and eat. 2. This variety is for this purpose just like Pohnpei. 3. This variety is not used for grass skirt.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[inja] n. Red Jungle Fowl, all chickens

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

Scientific name: Gallus gallus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[iɲe taθwaɪn anholwas] n. crown of leaves of a particular plant; "tadwain" to put around head; "anholwas" name of particular plant

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[inlolan niʧinandan] n. forehead

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. gaiac (RPV #43)

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. treelet, 1. 75 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4077)

Scientific name: Ixora aneityensis

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 fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub. Growing in the village. Cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #26)

Example: 1a. To stay healthy while pregnant - grate 1 coconut with nekei leaves, about a handfull (8). And 8 inpa leaves and 8 niditau leaves. Pound all of this together and squeeze juice out and bath in this then jump into a clear river to wash it off. 1b. Handful of leaves mashed with grated coconut and put in a shell, heat stones and put in shell, then take hot liquid to rub on body of woman who have just delivered to make their bodies healthy again, back to normal – when they deliver they are in huts, then wash with this and then come out of the huts and rejoin family. 2. Symbolic plant for peace (name means peace). 3. Message plant – put small tips of leaves in hair or make hat out of it and people know you come in peace. 4. When giving a gift, put this leaf on the gift, as in a basket – people wear them they are happy and peaceful – it is symbolic of Aneityumese people – so even when the people leave the island they will grow this plant. 5. People bathe with this leaf, mixed with grated coconut and cover body and hair to smell good and be strong. 6. Mosquito repellant, build fire, put green leaves on top, smoke and aroma chases mosquito away. 7. Take top of leaf with 3 young leaves and put in hair as there is the belief that this plant symbolizes the trinity. So it protects people. If a person from the island goes elsewhere and is faced with black magic they bathe with a handful of leaves, boil them and bathe with the liquid to remove the spell. 8. Decorate people with this leaf day feasts, weddings, and other events – very sacred.

Scientific name: Euodia hortensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 18-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3584)

Example: The young stems of this tree are very light, and used to make spears for fishing--they float. The stems are used to make the poles that connect the outrigger to the canoe. Good to make a fishing spear with as with others, timber. Leaves used with other plants to heal a sick woman who is sick from a male spirit – PARALELCEI – This lead with other leaves unspecified, tie together pound juice out of it and put juice in bamboo, cover top w/ wild cane leaf and take to sick woman before sunset, give to her to drink, before wave bamboo around her, open it and pour a bit on her head and drink a bit and wash her face, then break bamboo and discard it before sunset. Then tell spirit to go away. Symptoms such as a miscarriage or continued period, or dream and see the male spirit, or dream of snakes from the forest.

Scientific name: Calophyllum neoebudicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. treelet or shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3204)

Example: To treat a headache, people traditionally would make a small cut ¼ inch long with a bamboo or piece of glass around the eyebrows where it is soft and then drip juice of the crushed leaves in the cut to take away the pain. Let the cut bleed first and then put the juice in it and it will stop the pain. The bleeding will stop the pain and the leaf juice will stop the bleeding – sometimes the pain will go away immediately and sometimes it takes a few minutes. So this technique is used to treat a very strong headache like a migraine.

Scientific name: Malvaviscus arboreus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. epiphyte on trees, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4093)

Example: 1. Sickness blo namya. When a man accidentally has intercourse with a woman during her menstrual cycle, he can become sick. The leaves are squeezed, along with others, to produce an extraction. The dose and duration varies according to the degree of the symptoms. Further information about the preparation withheld.

Scientific name: Psilotum complanatum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Whitespotted surgeonfish, northern dialect

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

Scientific name: Acanthurus guttatus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. well branched tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3202)

Example: 1. Young shoots are peeled and made into grass skirts. Scrape the stem and take the green part off, tie strips together and put under stones in the sea for retting, let sit 5 days in sea, but check these on a daily basis. When the fiber becomes soft, that is the time to take it from under the stones, clean off the excess materials, and hang it in the sun to dry for 3 days--this will bleach it and give it a whitish color, at which point it can be woven into a skirt. 2. The fiber can be used to make a small rope that is tied with shells and used for custom dances. 3. When the stems of this tree are older, the wood is very hard and it can be used to make the main frame that is arched for a cyclone house. According to Reuben these houses are not made much anymore on Aneityum Island. 4. To cook the intestines of fish that are eaten, take several leaves and put them in a small pile, making a wrapping, then use a local fiber to tie this together and cook on charcoal for as long as needed to prepare the fish parts. 5. In this area, sometimes knowledge of the plants and flowering are used as a calendar to indicate the time for planting of specific crops. Reuben will provide more details on a future trip. 6a. This species is an important "message plant." If a person is not home and you are visiting from the East--e.g. an Eastern part of the Island--that person can leave a 12 inch piece of stick in front of the door of the house so that the inhabitant knows that an eastern visitor (from Anawonjei district) has come by your home. The reason that person has come to visit is to pass an important message to you--good or bad "luck". The bad luck message might be a death, and is not told directly to the person. The good luck message might be a birth, or conflict that has been resolved. These messages are communicated using sticks--each district has a different species of plant. Reuben’s is the hibiscus. 6b. Message plant for Eastern people. If someone dies, use this plant, clip it in front of hem, in front of home, they ask “who” and you can tell them. In Eastern culture you cannot tell them directly. 7. When a person is too drunk with kava, take a branch of this and brush him with it to help make the effects go away. 8. Traditional plates for food.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb. Grows on the coast. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #18)

Example: 1. For painful urination - The first way to prepare this it to take four big leaves and pound them with some water to get out the juices and squeeze this into a cup and drink. This can also be given to babies and children. The second way is to take two small leaf tops and two that are slightly larger tops. Chew these leaves and try to swallow all of it, if you can’t swallow the leaves then spit out the fibers and only drink the juice. 2. Calendar plant – when it flowers, turtle has fat in them, hang turtle to dry, fat melts, and can collect and eat it. Past practice – not eaten now. 3. Young parts of leaves can be cooked as a cabbage with coconut milk. 4. Wrap fish, especially those from the sea, with this leaf – first take lap lap leaf, then layer with this leaf, then wrap fish tie with pandanus for cooking on charcoals. Also with reef fish can wrap and cook directly on charcoal. Then eat leaf with the fish. 5. Medicine – top unrolled leaf tips, – new baby put this in his mouth and then take it out again – believe that it will make the baby talkative – 1x only when 1-2 days old. Put tip on tongue – shut mouth for a few seconds then pull it out. 6. Tips of leaves for diarrhea – remove old leaves, take 1 tip for baby, adults 2-3 tips, chew it, swallow juice and spit out fiber. 1x day, 3 days.

Scientific name: Wollastonia biflora, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. two days ago or two days hence

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. vine running many meters long over clay soil and grassy area on hillside where the triangular wooden signs are that used to be a landmark for ships coming to the island. Sterile. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5008)

Example: This plant is the focus of an important legend on Aneityum. When the missionary John Geddie and colleaguse first arrived on the island in July of 1848, the Chiefs welcomed them but some of the people did not like the idea. So these people sent a basket containing a peeled coconut and a fish (nopom) to the Chief in Umej to ask him to support the idea of getting rid of the missionary that the Chief of Analcahuat had welcomed. If the Chief of Umej were to eat the fish and coconut meat, it would mean that he agreed with the opposition. The Chief refused to eat the food in the basket and he told the people a parable involving this plant. A person cannot find the tip of the stem or the end of the root in the ground. So if they were to eliminate the missionary, his activity would continue because of God’s power. As it is with this plant, it will continue to grow and flourish if you cut it or try to dig up the root. So he sent a message about this plant to the people in Analcahuat who objected to the presence of the missionary stating this parable. Those people in Analcauhat held a secret meeting and they chose a powerful and strong person to kill the missionary. During the night the person went to the missionary’s house while he was in the toilet. Returning to the house, the missionary found the person in his doorway, and that person lifted his club to strike the missionary. But at that point the attacker’s hands suddenly had no power and the club fell from his hands, and he fell over. The missionary told him to get up, and not come back. After that experience, the people of Umej realized that God’s power was great and they could not go against it. The Chief took the peeled coconut that was sent him and covered it with the skin of another coconut and planted it instead of eating it. This coconut grew and the missionary’s work continued to grow on the island. So this vine played an important role in communicating the power of God to the people of Aneityum.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. well branched tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3461)

Example: The fruit of this species are poisonous. In ancient times the ancestors used the "fork" (branch growing out of main stem) of this wood to catch lobsters between the two parts of the stem.

Scientific name: Ochrosia elliptica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. bay (of the sea); creek

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127, 139

[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. treelet 2. 0-2. 5 m tall, dbh 3 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4858)

Example: If a chief passes away, they are burred in a sacred place. After burial, the people wash their hands with these leaves, mixed with water. The chiefs have a spiritual power and this is used to cleanse the people attending the funeral so that they do not get large sores on their leg or elsewhere on their body. This is part of the ritual for burying the chief.

Scientific name: Euodia hortensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. the name of a species of creeper

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3646)

Example: The ripe fruits of this species smell very nice and people eat the inside part, which tastes similar to a banana. When fruit is ripe the outside is yellow and the inside is purple. The wood can be used for poles to make house rafters. When kids go fishing for shrimps they use the fruit to catch the shrimp by throwing the shrimp into the water which attracts the shrimp.

Scientific name: Garcinia pseudoguttifera, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. low-growing vine, growing next to airstrip just beyond coastal vegetation. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3544)

Example: To trap fish, the vine of this plant is rolled in large quantity and put on the reef in a circle at high tide in order to corral and trap the fish. At low tide the fish are then speared and harvested. Placement of the circle depends on the rocks and the reef. Children fold the large leaves and bite parts of the leaf to make designs as a craft object. This is a "message plant." If a person wants to build a house or garden in a specfic place, put a piece of the vine on a stick near the area to tell others that they should not build a garden or house hear this area--this is a Tabu message. There are a few other unspecified leaves added to the stick, not only this one.

Scientific name: Canavalia rosea, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a plant with red leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plantain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. terrestrial orchid growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. Flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3288)

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. feathers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[naleθpeɲ] n. Barn Owl

Example: Photo by Matt Knoth, License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Tyto alba, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. isle, island

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 160

n. great hog plum (RPV #5)

Scientific name: Spondias dulcis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphytic liana climbing up several canopy trees, growing on slope in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4023)

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 impavida, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3684)

Example: People on Anietyum carve a kava bowl from the wood of this species, that is unique to this island. It is oblong in shape and has a handle on each side.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. coconut alcohol

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. twining vine, growing on grassed along roadside in open disturbed area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3608)

Scientific name: Cardiospermum halicacabum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. well branched tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3651)

Example: Poles made from this plant are used for house rafters and burned for firewood. To plant taro in a swampy area, collect the leaves of this species and put them in the hole where the taro is to be planted, mix with a bit of soil and then plant the taro on top of that. Leaves are a type of fertilizer. Used when baking with the earth oven. Hot stones cover the food and then the leaves from this plant cover the stones. The leaves stay on the branch.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers greenish-white. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4932)

Example: The roots are used to treat toothache. Take the roots, strip off the outer bark and chew the root. Stops pain from the toothache. Use 3x daily until the pain is gone.

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of banana

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. dawn of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3487)

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 – did not need matches (lefre(?) matches) because embers would stay for days and when make a fire add smaller branches to make a flame.

Scientific name: Ficus scabra, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. small, sparsely branched tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3463)

Example: This is considered a sacred plant. People do not use this plant as it is considered "of the devil."

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. sparsely branched understory tree, 4-5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4030)

Example: 1. It is considered "tabu" to cover laplap with the leaf of this species. It is said to spoil the laplap.

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. large tree, 15-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4062)

Example: 1. The trunk of this tree is used to make the body and outrigger of a traditional canoe. 2. The inner bark is used as a bandage for cuts and wounds. When the inner bark is grated it yields a sticky substance. The sap acts as a liquid stitch and reduced the chance of scarring. When this is dry one must use a knife to remove the residue.

Scientific name: Hernandia moerenhoutiana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a hurricane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Two-spot red snapper, twinspot snapper, red bass

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

Scientific name: Lutjanus bohar via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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. scandent shrub, growing in dense rainforest. Fruits purple-red. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4117)

Scientific name: Medinilla cauliflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

n. the center sprout of a coconut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

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

[nirinɟat erefera ran] n. tail (of a fish)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

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

n. moss

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. kind of shell

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nipʧinite] n. cooking pot

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. breadfruit leaf

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. epiphytic fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4043)

Scientific name: Microsorum grossum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. meadow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 165

[nowoɣ] n. red clouds after sunset

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. manioc

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. coconut leaves in the middle of the cluster, neither old nor new

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. tree fern to 5 m tall, fronds 2. 5 m long (collection: Michael J. Balick #5014)

Example: Trunk of this plant is used to make food. Cut the stem in 2-3 foot pieces, peel the outer stem, put the peeled stems in an earth oven to cook for the afternoon through the night--about 12 hours. It will be ready the next day. Peel off any remaining fibrous tissue, slice the stems and eat. They are said to taste like sweet potato. The young fronds are boiled for 5 minutes and coconut milk is added, this mixture is then eaten. It is important to collect only the inrolled fronds that have not yet fully opened. The fronds are used to make temporary houses when camping in the bush. They are used to make a roof. To make a cassava grater, take 2-3 pieces of the frond stype, connect them together by piercing them on the sides with a piece of bamboo or any stick such that they are held together in parallel fashion, and use this to grate uncooked cassava to make lap-lap and to grate banana or any food that needs to be processed in this way. The thorny part of the stipe grates the food.

Scientific name: Sphaeropteris lunulata, Speaker: Tony Keith

adv. downward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

n. tomato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. by land; on land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

v.a. to heap up earth to taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

v.n. to sprout

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. Marattia smithii

Example: Frond: bathe in infusion, neurodermatitis and infantile eczema

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442