Aneityum

v. walk fast; share greetings

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.a. to ascend, to go up

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. apply (as in oil to skin); paint

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tendrils; small branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 71

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

adj. a second growth as of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

n. cloth (related to nelmai)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. Diospyros samoensis (RPV #34)

Scientific name: Diospyros samoensis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3713)

Example: The wood of this tree is light and strong and used to carve canoe paddles. Carve the paddle from green wood as it is easier to carve then when the wood hardens.

Scientific name: Symplocos, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Titan triggerfish

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

Scientific name: Balistoides viridescens via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3664)

Example: This plant is used to make a head garland, but if you are going hunting or fishing do not put this on your head as you will not be successful in your quset. This is the grass skirt for the spirits; you can hear them but you cannot see them.

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a grove of coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

n. a stringy bark tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

Scientific name: Ixora aneityensis

n. tree to 4 m tall, dbh 6 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4941)

Example: Edible fruits, very well liked.

Scientific name: Eugenia rariflora, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[inmoʤev] n. star

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[indi] n. excrement (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 2 m tall, dbh 2 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4996)

Example: This is an ornamental plant, grown around the home. People crush the leaves to enjoy the fragrance released. When bathing, grate coconut meat and crush the leaves of this plant and rub all over the body, before bathing and afterwards your body will smell very nice. To repel mosquitoes, crush these leaves and put them in the house.

Scientific name: Melicope bonwickii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. herb, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3221)

Example: This plant is used as a wild cabbage. The leaves are used to cover fish when baking in an earth oven and then these leaves are eaten. This is another "calendar plant" of Aneityum. When this plant flowers it means that turtles are very fat, so it is the indication that it’s time to go fishing for turtles. Also a "message plant." If a person wishes to break an agreement then the person puts the top leaves of this plant on another individual’s doorstep to indicate that the agreement is broken.

Scientific name: Wollastonia biflora, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in dense rainforest. buds greenish. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4112)

Example: 1. The name means "white hair". It is not known why that is the case.

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. mouth of a river

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 167

v. to chip off small branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. erect grass (called ’whitegrass’), growing in coastal forest just behind strand vegetation. Inflorescences whitish. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3440)

Scientific name: Imperata cylindrica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

adj. ripe; also "metto"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4797)

Scientific name: Coix lacryma-jobi, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the middle of the forenoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

[nadimi ditij] phr. one man (there is)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[naθran ɣap] n. smoke

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

[nafɛtʊ manava] n. heart

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4771)

Scientific name: Dianella ensifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. terrestrial fern, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3712)

Example: The very young leaves of this plant are edible.

Scientific name: Ptisana smithii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1 m,flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4893)

Example: To make rope, cut the stems, tie together in a bundle and place in the sea. Cover the bundle with rocks for about a week, then take it out, wash it, dry in the sun until the fibers bleach white and use to make grass skirts. This is the process of retting. When the cyclone season is finished, the plant has flowers and fruits--in May through July--this means no danger of cyclones.

Scientific name: Urena lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. Pacific yellowtail emperor

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

Scientific name: Lethrinus atkinsoni via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[napat irenmeʤup] n. smooth, small cloud

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. herb to 0. 75 m, fruits brown. Growing in cultivated area near village. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5011)

Example: People use this for an uspecified medicine.

Scientific name: Achyranthes aspera, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. high mountain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. the break of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[neθelat] n. basket for clothes; carrying infants; transporting plants

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[nɛθoʊn] n. bones (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. the south wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. fir; pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 150, 172

n. tree to 4 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4925)

Example: The wood of this tree is hard and used for house posts. It grows in the water or inundated areas, fish, crabs, sea creatures use the roots of this tree to hide and breed. People know that this tree stops big waves and therefore protect the trees.

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4916)

Example: Boil inner bark in seawater to treat scabies, a skin condition. Take one handful of bark and put in one liter of water, wash the affected area once daily for a week .

Scientific name: Geissois denhamii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Metrosideros collina (RPV #81)

Scientific name: Metrosideros collina, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[neriseris] n. spider (house)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. herb to 4 m tall, male flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4977)

Example: The fruits are edible and eaten when ripe. To soften beef or octopus, or other meat that is tough, chop green fruit and put in a bowl with meat/fish and then add some water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes or if the food needs to be softer, then leave it in longer. The leaves are used to feed lobsters that are being kept in cages underwater, following their harvest. The leaves are used to cover stones on the earth oven. To treat a person with Ciguatera illness, wash many very gren fruits of papaya, the smallest ones that form at the top, and eat these to help relieve symptoms.

Scientific name: Carica papaya, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white. forest near house. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4871)

Example: A handful of flower buds are collected and put into water with 1-2 pieces of papaya roots. Heat the water and drink it hot for the treatment of hypertension or vein problems, or to promote circulation in overweight people. Do this treatment 1x a month. The white sap is collected and used to soften octopus flesh for eating. Put sap, fruits and chopped leaves in a bowl and add the octopus, allowing it to remain in the bowl for 1 hour--this will soften the flesh of the animal. The sap can be used to wash the skin of tough beef or wild pig--it helps to "burn" off (remove) the skin. When cooking tough meat, take young fruits of this tree and cut them up and put them in the pot with the meat, boil it to soften the meat which can then be cooked.

Scientific name: Carica papaya, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4763)

Scientific name: Murraya paniculata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[ɲɛsŋa nɛmtan] n. eye

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree. Found in the village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #14)

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 growing, 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: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree fern, trunk 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4102)

Example: 1. There are kinds of this plant. This is considered the white one. See GMP #4100, Cyathea sp., which is considered the black one.

Scientific name: Cyathea, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

Scientific name: Commersonia bartramia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Green humphead parrotfish, bumphead parrotfish

Example: Photo by Klaus Stiefel / Flickr, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Bolbometopon muricatum via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. Bidens pilosa L.

Example: shoot -- cold maceration taken internally against cough

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa L., Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. shoots of plants of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[nohos anu ziland opuah] n. kind of banana (gray sp. from New Zealand)

Speaker: David Nasauman

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

[nombrɛ niʧinin] n. hair

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4874)

Example: This plant is an indicator of rich soil, especially up on the hills from the coast. Therefore, this is where people choose to do their gardens. This specimen is in red soil that is not rich so it does not grow tall, but in the mountains it does grow tall and that is where gardens are planted. Wood from the tree is used for carving.

Scientific name: Weinmannia denhamii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. seed (general term)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine, growing in coastal forest. Flowers red with yellow tinges. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3448)

Scientific name: Gloriosa superba, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

Scientific name: Arytera neoebudensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[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. tree, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3458)

Example: The stems of this plant are used to hold thatch on a roof, especially for round houses as this wood can bend easily.

Scientific name: Dysoxylum bijugum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. fish; life

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tree (sparsely branched until canopy), 8-10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3450)

Example: 1. Wood used for house posts and for small parts of the house such as a porch. 2. Timber tree, house posts, young trees for roof rafters.

Scientific name: Syzygium kajewskii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

v.n. sail inside of reef

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 180

v.n. get off the reef

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

adv. down hither

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. first quarter of the moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

adj. rotten, applied to fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119