Aneityum

[aj] v. fly

n. moonlight

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[amŋinwei] phr. drink water

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. backwards

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[dowaŋ nadimi] phr. six men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. plant shoots; also "ehcohodaig"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 183

pre. far; long; applied to distance or time

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. green (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. beat coconut fiber

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

[itij] num. one

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

v.n. to come

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. wild kava (RPV #133)

Scientific name: Macropiper latifolium, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. whitewood (RPV #38)

Scientific name: Endospermum medullosum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inɣaitisian] n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. shrub, 1. 5-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3580)

Example: This plant is gathered for firewood. It is said that the fragrance of the flowers is not nice.

Scientific name: Geniostoma rupestre, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 4 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4928)

Example: The leaves are used for compost in the taro patch. Dig a hole, line it with the leaves of this species, cove with earth and plant taro. The leaves of this species are used to cover earth ovens.

Scientific name: Geniostoma rupestre, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of sugarcane; also "nalgaij"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Common dolphinfish, mahi mahi

Example: Photo by Alex Kerstitch / Shorefishes of the Eastern Tropical Pacific, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[inʤupurapni] phr. Good evening. (greeting around sunset)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[inʤupuram] n. nearly dark

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. a plantation

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. epiphyte on main trunk (near base) of large tree, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4060)

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus squarrosus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 30 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4870)

Example: This plant is used for spiritual purposes. When fruits are young, the children take the fruit, cut it open and take coconut leaf midribs, impaling the seeds on the midribs and painting themselves with the fruit.

Scientific name: Pittosporum aneityense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4927)

Example: The wood of this tree is used as firewood. Children collect the dry fruits and use them for decorations and toys, for example playing with a fruit on the beach, driving it as if it were a toy truck or boat (photo).

Scientific name: Heritiera littoralis, 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. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #5)

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. For a baby that is not doing well, as with malnourished, take 4-5 leaves, put in warm water and wash baby – 1x day for 3 days. 6. Use to make temporary house.

Scientific name: Trema cannabina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. food or seed of all sorts; the juice of any plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. well branched tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4025)

Example: 1. Hardwood is used to make a fishing spear. Wire is fashioned at the point to make a spear head. 2. Young plants are used to fasten coconut leaves to the rafters, in the thatching process.

Scientific name: Arytera brackenridgei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. banyan tree (RPV #74)

Scientific name: Ficus glandifera, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[ʧiŋkum] n. chewing gum

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[kidibop] n. Grey fantail

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

Scientific name: Rhipidura fuliginosa, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

adj. ripe, as fruit; healed, as a wound; also "mah"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. cup (mug)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. a giant

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 5 m, fdby 35 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4979)

Example: The fruits are edible and ripen during November-December. The leaves can be boiled as a medicine. If a person has a hoarse voice, boil 4 or or a few more leaves in 1 liter of water. Cool the mixture and drink once daily until the voice returns to normal. The trunk of this tree is good for timber, as it is a very hard wood. But a productive tree is not cut for timber--only the wild mangos that have flowers and small fruits that do not ripen; these trees are cut for timber. This particular tree, "Mango Amgie" bears fruit with a great deal of fiber, so the name refers to the "mango that you drink." Amgie means "drink" in the Aneityum language. There is another variety of mango, "Mango Cig" that means the mango that you eat. It has a little fiber but good fleshy fruits. This species is introduced from outside of Aneityum.

Scientific name: Mangifera indica, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. a plant with white flowers; a lily

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4116)

Scientific name: Macodes sanderiana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4889)

Example: The leaves are used to cover meat when baking it in a stone oven (inmawum). This will soften the meat and keep it moist. Used when other species of this genus are not available, for example if you are in the bush.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a whirlwind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. trees; palms; figs

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. reed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 177

n. terrestrial fern, growing in secondary forest along the river. Leaves c. 2. 25 m long. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3656)

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: Pronephrium rubrinerve, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. herb. Swamp areas. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #8)

Example: 1. Cervical pain and to return it to normal size - Get a handful of Naurakiti and boil it in a pot of water. This can also be done by rubbing the handful of leaves together and squeezing out the juice into the boiling water but the leaves do not go inside. Sit in this for 2 hours or until cold for 1 a day for a week. 2. Medicine: leaf juice put on fresh cut to stop bleeding. Stomachache, headache – use 1 handful of leaves, squeeze these, put in cup, put in some water and drink it 1x day. 3. Women menstruation that will not stop, take 1 handful of leaves into a cup of water and drink 1x day for 3 days. 4. If a person’s joints are sore, take a handful of leaves, crush them and rub on the sore joints. Some people don’t like to use it internally as it can make some people sick, especially small children, but others say it is OK to use.

Scientific name: Ageratum conyzoides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. lightning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

[neɪjanθel] n. coconut with sprout

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a small water-plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3512)

Example: This plant is used as fertilzer to place on bottom of the taro patch in the same way as GMP #3456 to help "feed the ground" for next year. The leaves are used to wrap food. When a person is chewing kava, pile the chewed kava roots on the young leaves of this species. Also, an unspecified medicinal use.

Scientific name: Acalypha grandis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. small, sparsely branched tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3463)

Example: This is considered a sacred plant. People do not use this plant as it is considered "of the devil."

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, 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. taro, a type that is more bitter, must be twice cooked (RPV #146c)

Scientific name: Caladium bicolor, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a stock; a bunch, as of fruit; also "negan" or "nigan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. Macaranga tanarius L.

Example: Inner bark: mouthwash with decoction, toothache.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. small tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4059)

Scientific name: Leukosyke australis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. canoe rudder

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Sailfin tang

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

Scientific name: Zebrasoma velifer, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. tree, 5-6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3522)

Example: This is a "calendar plant." When it flowers, people know that the taro is ready to harvest. It does not grow in the forest, but only along the coast in grassy areas. Use wood as posts for roof of house.

Scientific name: Geissois denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Anchor tuskfish, Orange-dotted tuskfish

Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein, iNaturalist: CC BY-A-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Choerodon anchorago via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nepiŋ upni] phr. Good night. (greeting after sundown, last time to walk on the beach)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. a hollow place in taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. a poisonous plant used to stupefy fish; also "netokin"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. a top of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. the stump of a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. outrigger of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Yellow-Edged Moray

Example: Photo by Bernard Dupont, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Gymnothorax flavimarginatus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

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

Scientific name: Epipremnum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the shark (constellation?)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of crab

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Dracaena angustifolia

Example: Leaf: cold maceration, emetic, taken internally against ciguatera poison

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 444

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. grass to 1. 5-2. 0 m tall, inflorescence white. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4885)

Example: Cut this grass in the morning, let dry for 2 days, and then use to weave the roof of a house. This is thicker and heavier than a coconut leaf. Also, use for cyclone house. (see photos of house) When indicating something is Tabu, tie the leaf and put it in an object like ripe bananas and people know it is Tabu and will not take it away.

Scientific name: Miscanthus sinensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. the sweet banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. cycad to 3 m tall, 25 cm dbh (collection: Michael J. Balick #5010)

Example: In the past there were no toys for the children, so people made toys from the seed of this plant. They peeled the fruit, took the seed, removed the inside, punched one hole on each side, put a string through each of the holes and twisted the string to spin the seed such that it would make a whistling sound as the fruit spun faster and faster. On Palm Sunday, people use this leaf in Church. People plant this cycad around their homes and use it as an ornamental. Some people believe that having this plant around their homes will keep the bad spirits away.

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. cycas (RPV #33)

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine, growing in coastal forest. Flowers red with yellow tinges. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3448)

Scientific name: Gloriosa superba, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Sirius, the Dog Star

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[oʔo] phr. no (traditional)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adv. seaward yonder

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

v. cry

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Sida rhombifolia L.

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against diarrhea

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. white sweet potato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati