Aneityum

v. fly

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to fish (by moonlight)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. get off the reef

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.n. go before

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v. to blossom, as reeds; also "elwa"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. green (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et apanan amlep aθamoʧ] phr. he went there and he came back

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. show

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. soft, over-ripe, as breadfruit.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. plastic bailer, bottle to get water out of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

n. light

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. belt

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3621)

Example: Good for covering laplap or stone oven. Remove hot stones, put leaves down, then food, then hot stones, then put the leaves down again to cover everything.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[inman] n. bird, general name

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a convolvulus with blue or reddish flowers

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[inmejcop] n. Swamp Harrier

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

Scientific name: Circus approximans, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of breadfruit

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. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. terrestrial orchid, growing in open (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3523)

Example: This is a "message plant." If a person puts the flower behind their ear and then stares out at you, or tosses the flower to you, then say yes and follow them, for example, to drink kava, or to go swimming. Or a man invites a woman to go somewhere with him. Alternatively, you can leave the flower on a table and this is also a message to go with a person. Leaves also used to wrap foods. Decorate yard around the house.

Scientific name: Spathoglottis pacifica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3519)

Example: The stem of this plant is used for fence posts that lead to the sea, and it is resistant to salt water and lasts a long time. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use this wood on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood.

Scientific name: Sonneratia caseolaris, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Whitespotted surgeonfish

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: Jack Keitadi

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. shrub, 0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3562)

Example: In the past the ancestors learned to cook the leaves of this species with fish in an earth over and then eat the leaves as well as the fish. Today, fish are wrapped with small leaves and then covered with lap-lap leaf (Polyscias) and cooked in an earth oven. This plant is also a "calendar plant." When you see this plant flower you know that sea turtles are getting fat and ready to harvest. As a "message plant", if a person puts this flower behind their ear or in their hat, and looks at another person, it is an invitation to that person to go with you to the nakamal for kava

Scientific name: Wollastonia biflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. stoloniferous herb, 15 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3561)

Example: In the past the ancestors learned to cook the leaves of this species with fish in an earth over and then eat the leaves as well as the fish. Today, fish are wrapped with small leaves and then covered with lap-lap leaf (Polyscias) and cooked in an earth oven.

Scientific name: Wedelia uniflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. water; fresh water

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. sweet potato

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 173

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. large tree, 16 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3222)

Example: 1. As a child’s game, some times children put the segments of the needles together to see who can make the largest one. 2. A "calendar plant"--when the needles are brown, it is an indication that people should not work hard, but should rest or they will not feel well. If they try to work they will feel sleepy--an indication of the season of higher heat. 3. Wood is used as firewood. 4. Firewood, inner bark good for ciguatera poisoning, scratch the inner bark and squeeze juice into a cup of water and give to the sick person to drink – very effective. Use the largest most mature part of the stem.

Scientific name: Casuarina equisetifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4968)

Example: The fruits are edible when they are red. If a person has been drinking kava and the next morning feels hung over, they can take a handful of the leaves of this plant, crush them in cool water, and wash their face with this. This treatment will help the kava feeling to disappear. At the same time, if a person eats the fruit of this tree a few hours in advance of planning to drink kava, they cannot drink kava as it will reduce the effects of the kava. The trunk of this tree can be used to build temporary houses and also it is good for firewood. When the plant is in flower, flying foxes and birds come to drink the nectar and hunters know this so they hunt near this tree.

Scientific name: Syzygium, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

adj. long, applied to time

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

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. yes, good

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. p. taro for the dead

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. epiphytic fern on fallen log, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4097)

Example: 1. The name means "wood cover", alluding to the habit of this plant. It grows only on the bark of trees.

Scientific name: Davallia pusilla, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a cloud, blackness, darkness

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. epiphytic fern, fallen to ground (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3494)

Example: When a dog is poisoned by cuguatera from eating a fish, the root of this species is collected, cleaned and a handful is boiled in 1-2 cups of water and given to the dog to drink. This treatment should be done 3x daily, in the morning, around noon and during the evening meal for as long as the dog is sick.

Scientific name: Aglaomorpha rigidula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the north wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. the poison of the inhac

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. trees; palms; figs

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. Phrynium giganteum (RPV #158)

Scientific name: Phrynium giganteum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3444)

Scientific name: Ficus scabra, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. sedge, 0. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3610)

Scientific name: Cyperus involucratus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. yellow star

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tall shrub. Growing uncultivated near Unames outside the village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #30)

Scientific name: Acalypha grandis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a bone, a foot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. Two-spot red snapper, twinspot snapper, red bass

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

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

[nelgoʊ waj] n. toy float, lit. "flying ship", "fast ship"

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a tree from the inner rind of which fishing lines and nets are made. na elmai or elumai, cloth

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4795)

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nenes] n. fiber for kava

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. epiphyte on syzygium tree, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. old fruits. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3660)

Example: Put several leaves of this species together to wrap food, especially the fresh water eel, and to carry plants of taro, kava, holding the leaves over one’s shoulder to carry these crops.

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 10 m, dbh 75 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4988)

Example: The young aerial roots are cut from the stems of the tree and used as a local rope, to tie things, help construct temporary shelters, as well as to make string for a hunting bow. Flying foxes like to eat this fruit so in the night when the fruit is mature hunters come by this tree to hunt flying foxes as well as hunting birds during the day. Hunters use bows and arrows for birds, and throwing sticks (natou) made from any plant to hunt flying foxes.

Scientific name: Ficus kajewskii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. clouds rising up against the wind (possibly black clouds)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Pacific litchee (RPV #114)

Scientific name: Pometia pinnata, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nija] n. cup for bait

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. branch (tender)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 130

n. laplap leaf (RPV #154)

Scientific name: Heliconia indica var. austrocaledonica, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niseuɣ] n. walking stick, staff

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. bank (of a river)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

[nohoɪjam] n. fan of woven pandanus leaf

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. the Futuna banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[nohos itoʊga] n. kind of banana

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3506)

Example: 1. The leaves of this plant are used in a kastom ceremony; crush the leaves and put in a head garland or on an arm band to release a pleasant odor during a kastom dance. The name of the plant is stated in a kastom song. 2. The leaf is a component for making "love magic." Crush these leaves as well as other unspecified leaves in a person’s hand while stating the name of the person you wish to fall in love with you, and it is said that they will. 3. Message plant – There are special people who compose traditional song about the person or legends, history, so the person who wants the song gives the composer this plant with other unspecified plants and the composer will have a dream that night and spirits will give song and melody and compose a song. Song is for Kastom ceremony singing while dancing.

Scientific name: Murraya odorata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Morinda citrifolia L.

Example: Fruit: eaten raw, constipation

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 444

n. plat (a map, drawn to scale, showing divisions in a piece of land)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 172

n. the red star, the "hand" in the constellation Orion; also "necye"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. the ebbing tide

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. liana, climbing on Garcinia tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3585)

Example: 1. When the stems of this plant are older, and it is a vine, is used to tie thatch on roof rafters as it bends well. 2. Burned leaves and rubbed on fishing line and spear to increase catch – used with other unspecified leaves, that are forageable. When you are fishing and if you set a basket or mat it means danger and you have to return to shore – the spirit is telling you that it is enough fishing.

Scientific name: Durandea pentagyna, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vine to 5 m, flower yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4937)

Example: In the old days, the hooks of this plant were used as a kind of small fishing hook. Heat the hook over a fire to make it strong, tie a rope to it and use it to catch fish. Take inner bark--1 handful and boil in a full pot of water and wash the body 1x daily to treat scabies. Can work in as soon as 2 days. It cures the sores very fast.

Scientific name: Durandea pentagyna, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. Drynaria rigidula

Example: Leaf: ashes rubbed onto head against getting bold

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

adj. angry

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[rabaθ] n. Peregrine Falcon

Example: Photo by Teddy Llovet, License: CC BY-NC 2.0 see more on Flickr See how this bird is featured in the origin story of Aneityum chiefs at see more on Youtube

Scientific name: Falco peregrinus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

adv. downwards or westwards

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. blossom (open)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 129

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

Scientific name: Pristiglottis montana

prep. down

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to sprout

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111