Aneityum

[ahe] v. prepare soil for taro planting, by removing the topsoil, putting down special leaves, and replacing topsoil

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. walk fast; share greetings

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. on another day

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. go back into shore; go further up into the bush; go inland

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. backwards

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. walk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go before

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v. to fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

phr. the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

[et taiŋ inhalav] phr. baby crying

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to weed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 79

adv. soon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

v. to swell, as reeds when near blossoming

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 80

v. show

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

adj. small

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. Sabre squirrelfish

Example: Photo by Andy A. Lewis / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

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

[indawoɣ] n. Long-tailed jaeger

Example: Photo by jacksnipe1990/Flickr, License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Stercorarius longicaudus, 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. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. the name of a native plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inhɛlɛn] n. penis (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. taro patch

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. summer, autumn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 190; 126

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 1. 25 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3525)

Example: The young leaves are edible, after boiling for 5 minutes. A piece of coconut and a pinch of salt is wrapped in the leaves and eaten. The mature leaves are used to wrap food such as pig or cow meat and cooked in an earth oven. Tie this bundle with a piece of Pandanus fiber to secure it before putting in the earth oven. Both the green and ripe fruits are edible. This plant is used in kastom ceremonies. For a peace ceremony, if there is an argument, then this leaf is used to make peace between the parties. For many ceremonies, put on top of taro, kava or food pile, . For peace ceremony, when a person has food in an offering, give a branch of this plant to the other party to symbolize that the conflict is over. It is a "message plant" that conveys a meaning that people do not have to say out loud. When a stranger walks through a village with this plant in his or her hand, people know there is no threat or problem. When a young man first shaves, people give him a necklace of this plant. In the old days, hair was pulled out of young men, now people use razor blades.

Scientific name: Euodia hortensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. flower

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. bush land; also "inteucjip"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. the day before yesterday

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. two days ago or two days hence

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. 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

[ʧumasʧuma] n. Fork-tailed swift

Example: Photo by ozma/Flickr, License: CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Apus pacificus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a native pudding made of taro, coconut milk, etc.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[katamal] n. Scarlet Robin

Example: Photo by patrickkavanagh/Flickr, License: CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Petroica multicolor, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. Aneityum

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. cloth (related to nelmai)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the name of a prickly shrub

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4069)

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a blossom; the spathe of a coconut used as light; also "nafaketa"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. isle, island

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 160

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3217)

Example: 1a. When traveling past a community you can place these leaves in a basket or walk with it in your hand. In this way people in the community know that you are traveling in peace and will cause no harm to people in that village. 1b. Message plant – if you go to visit someone and they are not there, you leave a branch of this on the door or somewhere they can see it and they know that some relatives have come and tried to visit them.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the beginning of cold wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

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 shellfish (f)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers greenish-white. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4932)

Example: The roots are used to treat toothache. Take the roots, strip off the outer bark and chew the root. Stops pain from the toothache. Use 3x daily until the pain is gone.

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4769)

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. lightning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4901)

Scientific name: Plerandra tannae, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. canoe rudder

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 18 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3667)

Example: Children suck the nectar from the young flowers just as they open. Wood from this plant is used for poles for rafters as well as for firewood. Flying foxes drink juice from the flowers.

Scientific name: Geissois denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. shark

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. lithophyte, growing on rock in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4038)

Scientific name: Antrophyum plantagineum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[ɲɛsŋa nɛmtan] n. eye

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3636)

Example: The green fruits are edible, as are the young leaf apices--cook these in water and eat them. The wood is used for temporary houses, for example, to provide shade in a garden. For planting taro, or any root crop, sharpen the end of a stick of this tree and use it for making holes, particuarly in river sand where some crops are planted. This tree grows near the river and is an indication that this land is good for agriculture. The wood from the tree is very good for firewood. Name means "who are you." Plant used as an indicator of a tabu place. Take a branch and put it where another person is building or gardening and there is a dispute over that area of land. When this plant is placed there the person who is using the land should stop working it.

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3623)

Example: People use the leaf of this plant to layer on the bottom of the earth oven, and then pile food such as manioc or taro on it, then pile leaves of this species on top of that. This will help insulate the food from the high heat of the earth oven and allow it to cook better. Used especailly in feasts like weddings. Women usually collect this leaf and is used to cover very large earth ovens.

Scientific name: Cleidion javanicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3517)

Example: 1. The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. 2. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time. 3. The wood is strong and used to carve paddles for the canoe. 4. It is also grown and used for firewood. 5. Firewood, (6) use as local plate. 7. On west side of island, take old coconut, fill with water, put lead into hole on end, take out and give to baby to drink and it will help the baby talk.

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8-9 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3655)

Example: 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. Take 4-5 leaves and wrap the food with the leaves. Tie a rope around the food and tie them all together using any strong vine. They can then be cooked over an open fire.

Scientific name: Dillenia neoebudica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. outrigger of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nijom huboʊ] n. round house; troka house, possibly named after Trochus niloticus

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. the name of a tree, the leaves of which blister

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. house (gen.)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. wooden dish

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niseuɣ inmohoɣ] n. lit. "the moon’s walking stick"

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nitaʔtel] n. stool

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Ficus adenosperma

Example: Stalk: chewed, agaist headache

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

n. a bunch of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[nohoɪjam] n. fan of woven pandanus leaf

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[nohor] n. Woodford’s Rail

Example: Illustration by John Gerrard Keulemans / Wikimedia Commons, License: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Nesoclopeus woodfordi, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[nohos upene] n. kind of banana (lit. "good banana")

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. stem

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188

n. vine to 2 m, aerial tubers and lobed leaves. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4946)

Example: This is a root crop. It is harvested in April-June. The leaves turn yellow and indicate that the crop is ready to harvest. If planted in the old days the root would get much larger. It is a good cyclone disaster food. Grows wild now. Boil the tuber in fresh water, when it is cooked add a bit of sea water to give it a salty taste. Chew the starchy root and spit out the fiber. Another variety is like sweet potato and a person can eat the entire root without spitting out the fiber. Can mix with coconut milk as well to eat.

Scientific name: Dioscorea pentaphylla, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree. Found in the village, usually grows in the hills. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #16)

Example: 1. Lot of oil in the heartwood so it is good to start a fire, split it into small strips and you can light it for a fire. 2. Calendar plant – when the fruits ripen people know that this is the best season to eat the big hermit crab – meaning that they are fat.

Scientific name: Fagraea berteroana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Morinda citrifolia L.

Example: Fruit: eaten raw, constipation

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 444

n. Black-spot surgeonfish

Example: Photo by zsispeo / Flickr.com, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Acanthurus bariene, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the Norfolk Island pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. leaves for an oven

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

adv. down hither

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

[tarinʤipnan] adj. very strong (has a lot of muscles)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

v. talk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tomato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to fall, as unripe fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119