Aneityum

affix in this direction; here; this

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. Ficus aspera

Example: Juice squeeved from leaves: conjunctivitis

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

[aɣes nohos] phr. I eat/bite a banana

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go forth

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to fish (in the deep sea)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.a. to go up, or go east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[ama] num. four

Speaker: David Nasauman

[amai neto] phr. chew sugarcane

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[amŋinwei] phr. drink water

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to go

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. black

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to steer, as a boat or a ship

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[dama nadimi] phr. four men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

v. drip, as a bucket filled with water drips

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et amai kava] phr. he chews kava

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

phr. the reeds blossom.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v. to sprout largely; also "ujipsotan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. whitewood (RPV #38)

Scientific name: Endospermum medullosum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. basket of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. sedge to 1 m, flowers brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4883)

Example: Children pull up the new young shoots and eat them. You eat the white soft part at the base of the part that comes off when you pull it. See photo.

Scientific name: Gahnia aspera, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. 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. 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

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3647)

Example: 1. The straight poles of this plant are sharpened and used to plant kava, and only for kava. Not used for planting other crops. 2. Special for catching eels in fresh water, poke stick with leaves into hole where eel lives and they don’t like it so they come out and you catch them, by cutting with knife.

Scientific name: Maoutia diversifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Ribbontail stingray

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

Scientific name: Taeniura lymma, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

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

[inʤap] n. sea

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

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. 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. traditional broom

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[intisjaŋɣe] n. flower

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 2 m tall, flowers yellow. Growing along coast. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4959)

Example: The young leaves are boiled for 15 minutes and coconut milk is added to the warm leaves and this is eaten--the coconut milk it said to make the leaves taste better. New mothers are given this food as it helps them to produce more milk for their babies. As a medicine, take the young shoots, peel the outer skin off of these, macerate a 3’ piece of young stem in a small amount of water, take out the fiber, put the juice in a tablespoon and feed it to a baby that is old enough to swallow water (not a new born) when they have diarrhea. Take once daily for 2-3 days. This remedy is used for babies up to one year of age. For older babies that have diarrhea, peel the young 3’ stems and give them to the child to chew (spit out the fiber) and have them drink a small amount of water after chewing. This treatment is once daily, for 2-3 days until the diarrhea stops. For adults, take 4 young stems about 3’ long and chew these and swallow the juice, twice daily (morning and afternoon) and use until the diarrhea stops. When this plant is in flower, hunters know that the turtle has more fat and can be harvested--a calendar plant.

Scientific name: Melanthera biflora, Speaker: Tony Keith

v. to chip off small branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

v. read; count

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the afternoon; also "jupjupki"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

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. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4924)

Example: Tree is a good source of firewood. Children use the "Y" of a branch to make sling shot for hunting birds and flying fox.

Scientific name: Ochrosia elliptica, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[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. the name of a species of creeper

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. half-tide when ebbing

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. epiphytic liana climbing up main trunk of garcinia pseudoguttifera, growing in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4014)

Scientific name: Freycinetia impavida, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb to 3 m tall, fruits black. Secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4905)

Example: Leaves used to wrap around cassava that is being baked in the earth oven.

Scientific name: Joinvillea plicata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nanin] n. goat

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a mound or hillock for yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. the north wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. the juice of the breadfruit tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. chief

Example: Origin story of Aneityum chiefs on see more on Youtube

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. dawn of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. Largescale mullet

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

Scientific name: Liza macrolepis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tree, 5-6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3449)

Example: 1. Wood used for roof rafters. 2. Leaves of this plant can be used to cover an earth oven while baking food. 3. Name means bird footprint.

Scientific name: Plerandra actinostigma, 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. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[neijaŋ] n. coconut

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

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. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3652)

Scientific name: Leucosyke australis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3466)

Example: The wood of this species is very hard and therefore useful for making houses. In fact it is so hard that a person cannot drive a nail through it. This wood is used to make spears for fishing.

Scientific name: Sarcomelicope simplicifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

n. tree, 9 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3707)

Example: The small straight stems of this plant are used for fishing spears and the larger poles for rafters.

Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. night

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. Yellowspotted trevally, Turrum

Example: Photo by Rick Stuart-Smith / Fishes of Australia, License: CC BY-A 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Carangoides fulvoguttatus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a fresh coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

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. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. citron; lemon; lime tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 135, 162,163

n. grass to 1 m tall, florets brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4973)

Example: This grass is used to thatch the roof of a traditional house. Tie bunches of the grass on a stick ca. 2 m long, using string from Pandanus or other vines. Lay these on the roof and tie these sticks with grass on crossbars to secure them. The flowers of this grass are harvested and put in bags to make pillows. The flowers are soft and easy to gather and make a nice pillow.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. fruit; also "nohwan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. fan

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

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. Longfin African conger, moustache conger

Example: Photo by Patrick Randall, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Conger cinereus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[nowoɣ] n. red clouds after sunset

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nuhonwei] n. White-eyed Duck

Example: Photo by cuatrok77/Flickr, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Aytha australis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree to 20 m, dbh 30 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4907)

Scientific name: Syzygium aneityense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. new moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. fallen tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3609)

Example: The leaves of this palm are used for thatch. Split trunks for house walls. Middle fiber of pinnae for broom. Seed is carved – handcrafts.

Scientific name: Metroxylon warburgii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

adv. down yonder

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adv. down there, at a short distance; also "sike"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

v. talk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[toŋ] n. tongue

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adj. in front

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. sour, applied to the water in coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119