Aneityum

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. sweet; shady

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 57

v.n. to cross over or above, as over a fence, or tree in a path, or on stones through a river

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 58

v. drink

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[asvintal] phr. break taro

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. go down; go down into something

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to burn ground for planting

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 74

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[et aʤuʤaj an ouʤeiko] phr. he went up there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et aparaiŋ troʊses tuwuna] phr. he is wearing his trousers backwards

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3723)

Example: The fruits of this species are cracked open and the seeds eaten. The leaves are mixed with other leaves to make an unspecified traditional medicine. The plant is also used for firewood.

Scientific name: Barringtonia edulis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

v.n. to come

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

adj. soft, as an infant’s foot, or new leaves.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. the Pleiades, the seven stars

Speaker: David Nasauman

adj. happy

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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. Pink Squirrelfish

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

Scientific name: Sargocentron tiereoides via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. herb to 1 m, flower bracts yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4921)

Example: Introduced species, used for decoration. Planted near houses and roads. Use the flower for decorating hair.

Scientific name: Alpinia purpurata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. low tree. Found along the coast. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #11)

Example: 1. To speed up delivery and reduce painin labor - Take a piece of stem from a small branch and take the skin and outter bark off. Grate out the inner part with water and squeeze out juice into a cup for the woman to drink. 2. To help with pain/difficulty giving birth - Take even numbers of inhoa top leaves (Must have a partner so the lone top is not vulnerable to bad spirits - in all Rosita’s medicines, she always uses partners like this). Using 2, 4, or 6, of these leaves chew them and swallow the whole thing. This is slippery. Take at the first pain.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. astronomy word, no def. given--possibly referring to a common shellfish "inhudaig". no def. for "ecro" or any feasible alternate spellings.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a rainbow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. Moorish idol

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

Scientific name: Zanclus cornutus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. the afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. shrub to 2 m in height, flowers white. In agricultural field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4951)

Example: The young 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.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[inmerahi] n. kind of breadfruit (white)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3692)

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a clearing of bush or reeds

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. Humphead wrasse

Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Cheilinus undulatus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the following day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. a plantation of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. water; fresh water

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. yellow colored vine to 1 m tall, flower buds white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4879)

Scientific name: Cassytha filiformis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. mandrake

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 164

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3683)

Example: Ornamental. Some have red flowers. Red birds drink the juice. Normally flowers July, August, September.

Scientific name: Metrosideros collina, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. gun

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3725)

Scientific name: Leucaena forsteri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. turtle

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plantain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb, growing along garden area. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3595)

Example: 1. As a medicine for dengue fever, take a handful of stem apices of this plant, boil in 1-2 cups of water and drink this amount 3x daily, cold, until the fever goes away. This treatment is said to give a person strength during the course of the illness. 2. Take top branch – 2 leaves and put under baby’s pillow, baby will fall into a deep sleep.

Scientific name: Physalis angulata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. herb to 1 m, flowers yellow. Growing at edge of cultivated field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4956)

Scientific name: Triumfetta procumbens, Speaker: Tony Keith

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. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nanin] n. goat

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a table made of reeds, for drying arrowroot, etc.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

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. firmament (astronomical)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb. Swamp areas. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #8)

Example: 1. Cervical pain and to return it to normal size - Get a handful of Naurakiti and boil it in a pot of water. This can also be done by rubbing the handful of leaves together and squeezing out the juice into the boiling water but the leaves do not go inside. Sit in this for 2 hours or until cold for 1 a day for a week. 2. Medicine: leaf juice put on fresh cut to stop bleeding. Stomachache, headache – use 1 handful of leaves, squeeze these, put in cup, put in some water and drink it 1x day. 3. Women menstruation that will not stop, take 1 handful of leaves into a cup of water and drink 1x day for 3 days. 4. If a person’s joints are sore, take a handful of leaves, crush them and rub on the sore joints. Some people don’t like to use it internally as it can make some people sick, especially small children, but others say it is OK to use.

Scientific name: Ageratum conyzoides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a bulrush; a flag

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. a green coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. fern to 30 cm, cones green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4919)

Example: Use this plant to send a message to someone that another person has died. Take 1 dried leaf, to pass message to another village/tribe or people. Hold it in your hand and walk past a person, then they know that someone has died.

Scientific name: Selaginella distans, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub, somewhat scandent (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3443)

Scientific name: Acalypha grandis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. stinging; the fruit of the kaleteug

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

[nɛθoʊn] n. foot, leg

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. canoe rudder

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nɛlna] n. fish sp.

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4757)

Scientific name: Melochia odorata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. night

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. well branched tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4084)

Example: 1. The name means "explosion". Further information about the plant withheld.

Scientific name: Alstonia vitiensis

n. Barringtonia asiatica L.

Example: inner bark: ground, added to dug pools in the sea as fish poison

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

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. the center sprout of the banana plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

[niɣɛn nʊmʊ] n. fish tail

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4775)

Scientific name: Commersonia bartramia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. branch (large)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 130

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[nipʧinɛtŋaŋ] n. belly

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[nitaʔto naretoʊ] n. an oven for baking bread; "nitato" to bake; "naruto" bread

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. fern to 0. 75 m, sori brown. growing along trail. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4972)

Example: The fronds of this fern are used to wrap sting ray and shark meat, which have a great deal of moisture in them, for cooking on the earth overn. Wrap the fronds (leaves) around the meat and tie with a Pandanus string. Because they are not thick, broad, entire leaves, but rather have many places in them where water can drain out during the cooking process, it is said that these leaves are much better for preparing these two types of fish, as well as any other meat that contains a great deal of moisture. For cooking on the earth over, put these wrapped foods on top of any other leaves so that they do not touch the hot stones directly, and then cover with other leaves as well. Then place the hot stones on top of these wrapped meats.

Scientific name: Pneumatopteris, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. meadow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 165

n. a bundle of reeds; also "nohudieg"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. kind of banana

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nopsiʧman] n. hand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. a yam

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. Carica papaya

Example: flower ovary taken internally against ciguatera

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 441

prep. down there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adv. down here; also "sime"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. terrestrial orchid growing in cloud forest along ridge. Flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3281)

Scientific name: Pristiglottis montana