Aneityum

n. beat coconut fiber

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

v.n. go past

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v. to fish (in the deep sea)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[ahi] adj. white (color)

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.n. go out

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.a. to go up, or go east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. moonlight

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to cross over or through a river, as by wading, or in a boat.

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. swim

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. beat coconut fiber

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

adj. at a distance; on the other side of the road.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 79

adj. stringy, watery, as taro; also "ede"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

[inɣaitisian] n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. broken tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3462)

Example: 1. The wood of this species is strong and used as house posts. 2. Spear as other – fishing.

Scientific name: Dysoxylum bijugum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3548)

Example: The forked stick of this plant is used as a pole to hold the outrigger on a canoe. Children blow the small fruits of this plant through the hollow petioles of the papaya leaf or a hollowed bamboo stem as a game. As an aphrodisiac, two handfuls of the leaves of this species are boiled in fresh water and men drink these for 7 days. The next week they will be "strong." People cannot have sex while they are drinking this remedy, but then the next week when they have finished the treatment, they will be "very strong."

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4960)

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. bush land; uncultivated land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. breadfruit

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Squaretail coralgrouper

Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Plectropomus areolatus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. tree to 2 m tall,dbh 40 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4877)

Example: To treat a local disease (that causes pain in the stomach) called "Namya," peel off the outer bark, collect 1 handful of inner bark, boil with 1/2 liter of water, drink warm, 3 cups/daily, for 3 days. At that point the person will feel that "the weakness is no longer in the body." After 3 days of treatment the pain in the stomach goes away. Wood is used for posts; leaves for compost for holes that people will plant taro in--line the bottom of the hole before placing soil and taro in it.

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. well branched tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4022)

Example: 1. A durable hardwood that is used for house posts. 2. The wood is used to fashion cross members that affix outriggers to the body of the canoe. 3. 4-5 inch diameter saplings are used to create a track in the forest that larger logs can roll down.

Scientific name: Geissois denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 12-14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3611)

Example: 1. The nut of this tree is edible and very good. Boil it with skin on or bake it in the earth oven and then cut it in half and eat. 2. Leaves for top of house ridge. 3. Leaves for fertilizing the water taro in swamps.

Scientific name: Inocarpus fagifer, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3286)

Scientific name: Calophyllum neoebudicum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub. Found along village pathways and in gardens. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #15)

Example: 2. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead.

Scientific name: Cordyline terminalis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[intas anejʧom] n. Aneityumese language

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Aneityum

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[kidibop] n. Grey fantail

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

Scientific name: Rhipidura fuliginosa, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4767)

Scientific name: Leucaena leucocephala, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a giant

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. mid-day, noon

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. Crinum asiaticum; variation asiaticum L.

Example: from leaves taken internally as a laxative to treat ciguatera and against asthma

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 439

[nahanemek] n. kind of breadfruit, old name for "naho"

Speaker: David Nasauman

[naɣai milmat] n. before sun comes up, just light enough to see green toward the east looking down from a hill, "green place"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. sapling, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4106)

Example: 1. Sapling wood is used to make fishing spears. A straight sapling is first heated in the fire to render it pliable. The sapling is further straightened and then decorticated. Once cooled, wire can be added a prong to the end of the spear.

Scientific name: Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. kind of plantain (strong one)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. terrestrial orchid growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. Flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3288)

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3508)

Example: 1. The stems of this plant are sharpened and used to plant swamp taro or dry land taro. 2. Break small branch top put behind ear if you go to an unknown place and keep behind ear and sleep with it. If the place is safe you will sleep if it is not you will not sleep well – only behind ear when you sleep.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus ciccoides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1. 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3442)

Scientific name: Maesa aneiteensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3553)

Example: 1. A stimulant plant. If a person is going to their garden early in the morning before the sun come up, break 2 top young leaves and chew and swallow the liquid, spitting out the fiber. This makes the person able to work harder and not feel tired while in the fields. It was noted that "a person can do the work of many people if they chew this." 2. The leaves are used for fertilizer for taro--put a bunch of leaves in a hole were taro is to be planted as a compost/antibiotic. This practice is said to kill all of the bad organisms such as bacttively impact the health of the taro plant. 3. This one collected from coastal area, ?? one collected in forest area. People take 4 leaves, chew leaves, swallow juice, gives energy to work hard the entire day. For fishing, take lots of ripe fruits and put in pocket, you will be able to catch a lot of fish. It brings good fortune when fishing. Roots – take one root, wash where a woman is giving birth to a newborn baby, give a drop of the juice from the root to clear the mucus in the throat.

Scientific name: Scaevola taccada, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. small shrub, 0. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3219)

Example: 1. A stimulant plant. If a person is going to their garden early in the morning before the sun come up, break 2 top young leaves and chew and swallow the liquid, spitting out the fiber. This makes the person able to work harder and not feel tired while in the fields. It was noted that "a person can do the work of many people if they chew this." 2. The leaves are used for fertilizer for taro--put a bunch of leaves in a hole were taro is to be planted as a compost/antibiotic. This practice is said to kill all of the bad organisms such as bacttively impact the health of the taro plant. 3. This species is collected in the coastal areas, and is different from the one that looks similar to it, that grows in the forested areas. People take 4 leaves, chew leaves, swallow juice, gives energy to work hard the entire day. For fishing, take lots of ripe fruits and put in pocket, you will be able to catch a lot of fish. It brings good fortune when fishing. Roots – take one root, wash where a woman is giving birth to a newborn baby, give a drop of the juice from the root to clear the mucus in the throat.

Scientific name: Scaevola taccada, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a calm, a smooth sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of cabbage

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Canarium vulgare

Example: leaf--cold maceration in coconut milk and seawater, taken internally against diarrhea or ciguatera. Cold maceration of chewed leave, spat into a cup and mixed with coconut water: taken internally against ciguatera

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. a species of thorn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers white. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4887)

Example: The stem makes a good digging stick to plant taro. Also branches of this tree are cut to tie the canoe to the outrigger. Used for the small sticks that sit at the base of the larger sticks that hold the outrigger (see photos).

Scientific name: Halfordia kendack, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 5-6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3449)

Example: 1. Wood used for roof rafters. 2. Leaves of this plant can be used to cover an earth oven while baking food. 3. Name means bird footprint.

Scientific name: Plerandra actinostigma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3531)

Example: 1. For a child around 1 year of age, take the inside bark, mash it, boil in hot warter and then use it to wash the child. This will ensure that the child will grow strong and make them able to crawl fast. 2. If a woman who is one month pregnant would like to have a baby, she is given 4 of the tips of the branches to chew and swallow everything before breakfast 1x only. 3. For fishing, take 4 leaves, hold top side up, tear right half of leaves off, keep left side, roll it up and put with fishing gear to have good luck when fishing in the deep sea beyond the reef.

Scientific name: Ficus glandifera, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. herb, growing in partially drained marsh and along weedy areas of road. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3600)

Example: This plant is used as an ornament in the hair.

Scientific name: Palhinhaea cernua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the south wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. a shrub, a plant, a sucker

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. stage of coconut

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. fern. Growing in a village back path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #28)

Example: 1. To cure when the anus falls out - Pound together 1 braches worth of inpalcapnesgin leaves and of both inloptiri (2-4 leaves, any age), also take the inner bark of nekeaitimi and nakhe. Put this into your hand, or another leaf and give it to the person to use it. This should be applied to the anus whenever the anus comes out. USed to use a clam shell to extract the bark but not anymore.

Scientific name: Angiopteris evecta, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a large bat; the flying fox

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #21)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead. 3. To cure headaches - Someone other than the woman must prepare this. Break the top branch of netethae and remove leaves for use. Combine with the top leaves of the top branch of nelmaha. Chew the leaves and drink the juice. Do this when the sun is setting on the horizon. The woman gives the leftover fibers to the person who prepared the medicine and that person goes and throws the fibers in the direction of the setting sun. 4. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 5. Used to fight against black magic in an unspecified way. 6. Roll leaf and put in pocket for protection when walk in a new area. 7. Message plant if a land dispute – if a person puts this stem or leaf in another’s garden whom they are angry with it means go away!! 8. To treat sick people, especially who fall ill from black magic to save their life. Symptoms vary, for example a person with small boils over body,* a person chews the leaf and spits it on the sick person, 1x and then puts the branch with leaves near the sick person when they sleep – 3x (1x day) branch is ca. 25cm long. (*headache, severe)

Scientific name: Ficus littoralis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4863)

Example: Fiber: Collect the stems of this plant, peel off the outer bark, soak (ret) in seawater for 1 week, then put stone on top of it-the fibers are loosened by the retting, peel them off and hang in the sun to dry and bleach. Weave small baskets, grass skirts and other things from this fiber. When sticks are placed in areas of the sea, shells are attracted to these sticks and people can collect the shells used for adornment--the animals in the shells like to eat the material on the sticks. Dried fruits of this plant are eaten by birds.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. night

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. frankincense

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

n. a reed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. herb, 25-30 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3696)

Scientific name: Zingiber zerumbet, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. large tree, 18 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4076)

Example: 1. The name means "I come". This plant is used to convey messages. When a branch of this plant is left at the house of a person it indicates someone had visited them and they were not there. 2. Children eat the nut of the ripe (yellow) fruits.

Scientific name: Finschia chloroxantha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. liana climbing on calophyllum trunk, growing along sandy beach. Leaves variegated. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4144)

Scientific name: Epipremnum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. moss

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[niseuɣ] n. walking stick, staff

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Harry hotlips, blubberlip

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

Scientific name: Plectorhinchus gibbosus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. ladder fern, fishbone fern (RPV #221)

Scientific name: Nephrolepis cordifolia, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphytic liana on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, growing in secondary forest above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3658)

Example: This plant has a secret, unspecified use.

Scientific name: Microsorum grossum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Cordyline fruticosa L.

Example: Leaf: chew (leprosy in mouth). Whole plant: planted for several Kastom purposes; many important Kastom-bound uses as magical or ornamental plant throughout Melanesia.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

[niʧep] n. mat for sitting

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. beach

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. large well branched tree, 18-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3216)

Example: 1. The trunk of this plant is used to make canoes. 2. It is also a good timber for the inside part of houses. 3. Mix the sap from the stem with other unspecified leaves and rub them into dreadlocks. 4. To attract shells in the sea, scrape a branch and drop in the sea where shells are attracted to the branches and they can be collected for sale to the Island’s visitors. 5. Seeds are used to make beautiful black necklaces. Said to be a lot of work as it is difficult to remove the seed. Rub with sandpaper or soak in water and then make the hole in the seed. 6. Fruit is a children’s toy – used as a whistle to make a nice sound.

Scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the north-north-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[nuhialeɣ upni] phr. Good morning. (greeting in early morning, 6 o’clock to 9:30-10 o’clock)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. liana, climbing on fallen tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3500)

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. 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. Used as a baby’s remedy for when the baby is crying too much because the parents are having to much sex. The baby will also be slow to grow and be thin. To remedy this, must wash the baby with the following mixture: nekei atimi (bark), nohos atimi (green skin of the stem), nepnatimi ataman (part not specified). Scrap about 1 inch cubed of the nekei atimi into your hand along with 1in x 4in of the first layer of the green skin of the banana stem (nohos atimi), and the top 8 leaves from about two separate branches of the nepnatimi ataman. Bind all ingredients together and pound them and put everything in the baby’s water for bathing. Wash the baby in water made with this mixture. Do not wipe the baby dry but let it air dry. The next day when you wash the baby with soap, you must re-wash them with the mixture again. Do this for 5 days with the same water mixture. It may small bad but that is okay. Finally on day 5, take the juice from the outter layer of skin on the stem of the banana, nohos atimi, and give a full spoonful of the juice to the baby to drink. Other plants can be added to the bathing water but these are the three primary ingredients.

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

adj. leafless; fading

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

n. a second growth, as grass that springs up after being burned

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119