Aneityum

affix yonder; away from

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[aɣes noraŋitei] phr. sing a song

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. see

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. sleep

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[amŋinwei] phr. drink water

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. near morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

[araheθ] n. round

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

v. break soft things (like bread, cassava, taro, etc.); cut in half

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v hide

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. plant

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[t̚apanan ʤa ʤaj et lok sto eŋmikope stoi lok] phr. he went there but the store was closed

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

wind blowing

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

pre. far; long; applied to distance or time

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

[eseʧ] num. three

Speaker: David Nasauman

[et alk͡puas an] phr. he is big

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et haklin an] phr. he is small

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. royal albatross

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3612)

Example: 1. Edible fruits when ripe and turn black – some sweet and some not – eat sweet ones. 2. Timber, firewood.

Scientific name: Syzygium clusiifolium, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 6 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #5002)

Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[inŋa] n. Purple Swamphen

Example: Photo by Bernard Spragg, License: Public domain via Flickr

Scientific name: Porphyrio porphyrio, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3560)

Example: In ancient times this plant was used as a fiber to make skirts and rope. Take the stems, remove the leaves, rett the stems in sea water for a few weeks, sun dry the stems and then weave into rope or skirts. This plant is not much used for this purpose at the present time. This plant is used to make a medicine with an unspecified use.

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[inhɛlɛn] n. penis (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[iɲeθite anawanariɲ] n. a sand drawing

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[inlolan niʧinandan] n. forehead

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inmeg inʤupʤupura] n. night, night before the moon comes out

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. one of the best kinds of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a clearing of bush or reeds

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. canoe paddle

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree, 12-14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3640)

Example: The seeds of this species are eaten, the fruits are cracked open and the seeds removed. However, perhaps of 10 fruits, maybe only 3 have seeds for eating. The flowers are known to have a very pleasant fragrance.

Scientific name: Terminalia sepicana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a bed, a foundation, a plantation

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. kind of flower or flowers (see def. for "elwa")

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

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

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. liana climbing on large Dillenia tree, growing in primary forest at edge of river. flower white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3677)

Example: If a person is building a temporary house and has no other way of attaching the poles, collect the vine of this species, roll it a bit to break the fiber, heat it in a figure 8 form and then use for tying poles while warm.

Scientific name: Jasminum didymum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. parasitic vine hanging off the side of a cliff, growing along coast. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4147)

Scientific name: Cassytha filiformis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4772)

Scientific name: Cerbera manghas, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. ripe, as arrowroot; also "murre"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. cloth (related to nelmai)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3492)

Example: 1. Used for firewood. Whole plant used to make a broom for sweeping by tying the small branches together. The very topmost leaves are used when planting kava, as a “superstition” you hold a lead between your big and second toes when tamping the earth down for a kava plant, to give power to earth so kava grows well. 2. This plant is used to make a local broom. Collect a number of branches, let them dry in the sun--the leaves will fall off--then tie the branches together with a piece of Pandanus leaf or any other vine that is handy.

Scientific name: Leucopogon cymbulae, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. canarium nut (RPV #25)

Scientific name: Canarium indicum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[naŋɛsɛŋa ratha] n. sun god

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[naɣo aɣo] n. just after sundown, still light

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. dawn of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nakajaŋ a nijman] n. palm of hand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. seed of a fig

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 150

n. kind of plantain (strong one)

Speaker: David Nasauman

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. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. scandent shrub, growing along strand in coastal forest. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3688)

Example: This plant is used to make head garlands as it smells very fragrant.

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, 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. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3456)

Example: 1. The leaves of this plant are used as a fertilizer when a person plants taro "to help to feed the ground for next year." 2. Sapwood of this tree, and one more [GMP 3591], in old days take from west side and cross mountain to the east, and on red clay mountain, burn it to make spirits to give more sun instead of rain so that gardens will grow well.

Scientific name: Scaevola cylindrica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4099)

Example: 1. The name means "cloud". The plant is usually found on high ridges, in areas where there is often high moisture.

Scientific name: Callistopteris apiifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dwarf cloud-forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3268)

Example: For performing a weather magic ritual to produce fog, this plant is fermented along with another plant (nirid u numu) in a hole in a sacred stone (called "Naemoso") at a secret location on Aneityum.

Scientific name: Trichomanes, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. well branched, partly fallen tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4054)

Example: 1. Branches of these leaves are used to cover and insulate earth ovens.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[narasɛn numu] n. skin (of a fish)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. bark

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. a small water-plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. north-north-east wind, between "natoga" and "natoga matahau an jap"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 168

n. a sweet-smelling plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. bamboo to 5 m, sterile. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4940)

Example: Used to build walls of local houses. The outer skin is stripped off, stems cut in half then smashed flat, the inside is stripped clean and woven into walls. The cut pieces of entire stems can be filled with food and used for cooking that food. Cover both ends with leaves and cook. If a person has skin that becomes infected, use sharpened stem as a local knife to remove the infected area of skin. Use as a local water pipe to move water from one place to another (nobol). Either split the stem in half or punch the nodes out throughout the entire tube and use as a pipe.

Scientific name: Bambusa vulgaris, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

Scientific name: Semecarpus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. grass; weeds; thistle

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3273)

Scientific name: Astronidium aneityense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tender shoots

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 183

n. tree, 8-10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4141)

Scientific name: Ficus obliqua, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 12 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4917)

Example: Flowers are used to decorate the house and other areas as they are very fragrant. The leaves are used to cover taro cooked in an earth oven.

Scientific name: Gardenia tannaensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3468)

Scientific name: Micromelum minutum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. forest

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

n. epiphyte on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, pendant (1.7 m long) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3648)

Example: Name means pile of fish. To protect a conservation area and restock it, collect pile of stems and leaves and put in a pool of water with stones on it. Fish will come and breed and area will have more fish. Fish in general

Scientific name: Dendrobium involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. epiphytic orchid, growing in dense rainforest. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4109)

Example: 1. The name refers to the rope that is used to transport fish. Accordingly a rope made from this plant is used to string and transport caught fish.

Scientific name: Dendrobium cf. involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the name of a poisonous plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

[netupni] n. June (lit. good sugar cane)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub to 2 m ,fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4884)

Example: When the new leaves form on this plant, people say that it is time to plant taro. The wood of the larger tree is good for posts.

Scientific name: Decaspermum neoebudicum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 4 m, dbh 6 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4992)

Example: The stems of this plant are good for making temporary houses in the bush. When used as firewood, the stems are said to "hold the fire," meaning they burn a long time, even all night so in the morning the fire can be restarted by adding kindling. This wood is said to be good when a person has no matches, as the fire can be restarted easily. Young leaves of this species can be wrapped around ground coconut and eaten raw. The young leaves can also be boiled in water for 15 minutes, coconut milk added, and eaten with tubers such as cassava. The young leaves can be wrapped around beef or pork, tied with a string from Pandanus and cooked in the earth oven.

Scientific name: Ficus storckii (or wassa), Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3587)

Example: 1. If the preferred banana leaves are not available to wrap food for cooking, then use young leaves of this species and tie taro and fish for cooking. 2. Use leaves to wrap fresh water prawns and fresh water fish and cook them on charcoal. Use as a cup by making funnel out of leaf and drink from it. 3. Used for unspecified ritual activities.

Scientific name: Dillenia biflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nilin] n. shoulder

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. herb to 70 cm, florets yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4998)

Example: To treat a headache, especially from the flu, boil a handful of leaves in 1 liter of water for a few minutes, let cool and drink 1 cup of liquid per day . Also can treat this type of headache by using the plant in a steam bath, by boiling 4 handfuls of leaves in a pot of water, covering the head with a towel and breathing in the steam from the pot.

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa, Speaker: Tony Keith

[nipʧin ɲelas] n. crab

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. frankincense

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

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

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

adj. in front

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. first shoots of old roots

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 183