Aneityum

baby crawling

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to weed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 68

n. island of breadfruit

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[apuat pam] n. just dark now, black

Speaker: David Nasauman

adj. made of branches

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. open

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to go ashore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

[deseiʧ nadimi] phr. three men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

v. to come out, as banana fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

v. to begin to form, as fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v.n. to go

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. seaward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. a place down, or westward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

conj. and

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. soft, over-ripe, as breadfruit.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

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

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the name of a poisonous plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

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, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4868)

Example: Red fruit is used to feed chickens.

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Whitespotted surgeonfish, southern 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. herb, growing in partially drained marsh. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3596)

Scientific name: Ipomoea aquatica, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Ocellated eagle ray

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

Scientific name: Aetobatus ocellatus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inhosumeljaŋ] n. Black-tailed whistler

Example: Photo by Lip Kee, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Pachycephala melanura, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. the afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. night; quite dark

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. Artocarpus altilis

Example: shoot: Mix heated over fire and taken out during sunset. Healer clenches the package in his fist, then gently punches the patients left, then right knee, then his forehead and finally squeezes over his head, migraine and headache.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

n. bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a convolvulus with white flowers; also "inmauwad ahi"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

n. thunder

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 50 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4918)

Example: The fruits of this tree are collected, mixed with ground coconut, boiled in water and the oil collected. The resulting oil is used medicinally, put on the skin for any condition to promote healing. Apply once a day until the condition resolves. Also can be used to treat head lice. Add the oil mixture to the hair, massage in, keep the hair dry for a day, then wash. Use once daily for 3 days.

Scientific name: Calophyllum inophyllum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. coconut leaves for a net

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. shrub, 0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3616)

Example: 1. Many plants resemble this species, and are called by this name. 2. Babies who always cry – rub leaves, put them in bath where baby will bathe and this will help stop crying. 3. Ornament for around the house.

Scientific name: Pseuderanthemum longifolium, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[intaʧi] n. notches carved into a tree, used as footholds for climbing tree to harvest coconut

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. coconut grating bench

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tongs for removing food from fire

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 50 cm tall, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4947)

Example: To treat toothache, collect the uppermost young leaves, rub them in your hand, put mass of crushed leaves into the area of toothache to lessen the pain. Do this as needed until the pain goes away. Keep it in your mouth for 10 minutes then spit out, then add a new one, keep going as needed.

Scientific name: Synedrella nodiflora, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. vine to 1 m, flowers purple. (kudzu plant). (collection: Michael J. Balick #4920)

Example: Roast the tuber of this vine on an open fire for 20-40 minutes, peel off the skin and eat like cassava or taro. Chew it and drink the "juice" while spitting out the fiber. It grows wild, season of harvesting is in May. Very tasty food for people, considered "numba wan" food for this island.

Scientific name: Pueraria lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. herb, growing along the river at the edge of secondary forest. Stems pale green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3642)

Example: As a local toothbrush, take two pieces of stems, bend them and use to brush teeth with water. This plant acts like sandpaper to clean the teeth. Can also be used to brush pots.

Scientific name: Equisetum debile, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4914)

Example: Use the leaves to make compost to be placed at the bottom of the hole where taro is to be planted, cover with soil and grow the taro in that hole. Serves as a fertilizer.

Scientific name: Pittosporum campbellii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[ʧiŋkum] n. chewing gum

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. the afternoon; also "jupjupki"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[katɣapohoθ] n. Venus, or the morning star

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[maja] phr. yes

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[maja ga oʔo] phr. yes or no (traditional)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[naθi aθiat upni] phr. Good morning. (greeting in mid-morning, after 10 o’clock)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3530)

Example: This plant grows in coastal areas, and is a good source of firewood. It can be used for house posts. The leaves are used as an unspecified medicine. There is a belief regarding the black and white sea snake, that represents a seawater spirit. Mix this with other unspecified leaves, mash together, squeeze into a bamboo tube and fill it. Give it to a woman to drink to keep the evil snake spirit away. The same preparation can be used to treat toothache, caused by the seawater spirit. "The spirit can trick you into going to fish every day."

Scientific name: Guettarda speciosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of banana (short fruits)

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nakro] v. chief shares a large amount of food with another district

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. grass; also "namutmut"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. lentils

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 162

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Phrynium giganteum (RPV #158)

Scientific name: Phrynium giganteum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[neɪjanθel] n. coconut with sprout

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. terrestrial plant on forest floor, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3483)

Example: 1. This is a "message plant" that signifies that there has been a death. The person holds it or puts it on their head, goes to another person’s house and hands it to the person they wish to convey the message to, without saying anything and that person knows that someone has died. It can also be handed to that person. The person receiving the message then asks "who" and is told the deceased person’s name. 2. Use it to produce more fog on top of mountain – use w/ another plant, nap̃at (GMP 3268) – put these in a hole on the sacred stone to ferment as it fills with water. After it rots there will be a lot of fog. Name of stone = NAEMOSO. So the fog helps keep the plants moist and growing well.

Scientific name: Selaginella firmula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3514)

Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4126)

Example: 1. The wood of this tree can be used as posts and rafters in traditional houses.

Scientific name: Spiranthemum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. terrestrial fern, 1. 5-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3501)

Example: These ferns can cause injury during the dry season as they can stick into a person, so they are intentionally burned to avoid this.

Scientific name: Dicranopteris linearis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. liana, growing along ridge in dense rainforest. Latex white (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4074)

Example: 1. The outer stem is used to make an ornament call "Intyecrec". When one returns from the bush, you make this to indicate your trip to the bush. Other plants are at times including in the dressing. Each have their own significance.

Scientific name: Alyxia stellata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. strangler tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3694)

Scientific name: Ficus obliqua, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3537)

Example: This plant is an aphrodisiac. Eat with coconut meat to make the body strong. Take 1/2 handful of leaves and mix with coconut leaves, use as needed. Mostly men eat this combination. It is best to eat with dry coconut that has no water in it. Eat it any time you wish.

Scientific name: Pemphis acidula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3503)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used in cooking, particuarly with the earth oven. Use a fire to heat stones, then when the fire burns down and the stones are hot, pile these leaves on top of the hot stones and then place the food being cooked--taro, fish, pig, cassava, banana or other foods--on top of the leaves. Then pile more of these leaves on top of the food and then place additional hot stones on top of that pile of leaves. While the food is cooking--each type of food takes a different amount of time--the leaves give off a very nice smell and help flavor the food.

Scientific name: Cleidion javanicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[ɲiroʊn] n. basket

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. blossoms on breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. the duck (constellation), the Southern Cross

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of banana

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. fan

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. corn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 138

n. species of vine runner; a basket net

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. Humpback red snapper, paddletail

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

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

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. understory tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4049)

Example: 1. The name means "knife of sandpaper", a type of fish. The leaf base resembles the fin of the fish. 2. In the past, a spear was made from the sapling wood of this plant for tribal warfare. Today, spears are made from this plant for fishing. First, a relatively straight spaling is chosen and then heated over a fire. The pliable portion of wood is straightened and then decorticated. When cool, a portion of wire can be affixed on one end to aid in the spearing of fish.

Scientific name: Tapeinosperma

[nʊpsɛθoʊn] n. toe

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. Ficus septica var. cauliflora

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

[oʔo] phr. no (traditional)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. bundle of leaves, as of nasiaij

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108