Aneityum

adj. sun just down

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 48

v. climb

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[ahi] adj. white (color)

Speaker: David Nasauman

v. to weave, to plait

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. go though, as the land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

conj. and

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.a. to ascend, to go up

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. run

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v hide

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[elajnej] n. after sundown, when the insects start to chirp

Speaker: David Nasauman

phr. the reeds blossom.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v.n. to go

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 5 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4896)

Example: The young stems of this tree are used to make spears, either by sharpening the end or attaching several wires to the tip.

Scientific name: Alangium vitiense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 6-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3218)

Example: 1. Take a handful of leaves, squeeze with the hands into 1/2 liter of water, drink when tired; said to open the "blood nerves" and to purify the blood and make the muscles of the male sexual organ strong. 2a. When a person is planting watermelons in the garden, as the vines grow, split them and perforate the vines with a sharpened stick. This practice is said to ensure that the watermelons will be as prolific as the seeds in Vitex. 2b. If you plant vines in your garden like cucumber, beans, melons, pierce the stem with a small sliver of this branch and it will make the vine have more fruit.

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the candle-nut tree; also "inhaig"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

[inhapli kuri] n. puppy (lit. small dog)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. liana climbing up a Syzygium tree into the canopy, growing at edge of dense forest near garden area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3637)

Example: Rope is made from the inner bark of this plant. Use the rope immediately after it is stripped from the bark, there is no need to treat it with heat as is the case with other plants. Alternatively, the coil of bark rope can be kept in fresh water where it will stay soft until needed. Medicine for women when sick with a headache from the spirit sea snake, or sea god, or sea spirit that makes people sick. Men use it to help with toochaches. Women use it to help with backpain, stomache pain, or any other pain. Must pound two leaves taken from the top of the plant and combine with incespiv. Rosalina Nijae said it was mostly used by men so did not know how to use it well. Walking in bush and become thirsty, cut vine on 1 side and drink. Seeds made into foot bracelets for men for Kastom dances and make all sorts of different sounds. In some places taboo to cut large one as the large ones embody the snake spirit.

Scientific name: Entada phaseoloides, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[iɲeθite anawanariɲ] n. a sand drawing

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree to 10 m, dbh 1 m (collection: Michael J. Balick #4991)

Example: The young trees are a good source of lumber as they are straight and can be used as poles or sawn timber. This tree is also a source of firewood and is known to be easy to light and burns well. The fruits are a source of oil. Collect the ripe fruits, remove the seeds from the shell, macerate the seeds to release the white endosperm inside, place this in a pot without water and heat it. The brown-yellow oil will come out from the crushed fruits. It is good for using on the body but not edible. It is a good massage oil, or to lubricate the skin or to heal small wounds. For the latter, drop some oil on the wound once daily until the wound heals.

Scientific name: Aleurites moluccanus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. vine climbing on Geissois denhamii (GMP #3522), growing in open (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3524)

Example: The word itougo means from a different country or place outside of Aneityum. The plant was introduced by the first missionaries who came to Port Patrick. Calendar plant – sea cost people see this flower in the forest and they know it is time to go into garden and harvest taro or make new gardens– see GMP 3263. This is also good firewood.

Scientific name: Operculina turpethum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. Redface Squirrrelfish

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

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

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Spathoglottis petri (RPV #166)

Scientific name: Spathoglottis petri, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tongs for removing food from fire

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. terrestrial orchid, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3708)

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inwei] n. water

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

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. Synedrella nodiflora

Example: leaf rubbed in hands for toothache

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

[iŋec] n. Mystery Island

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. long, applied to time

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the stem of a coconut leaf used for a butt

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

[naθia] n. kind of breadfruit (thin one, sometimes cooked with coconut milk)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. species of pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub to 1 m tall, frits green. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4880)

Example: Stems are used to produce cyclone houses--secure wild cane (Miscanthus) on the roof of the house. Fold cane in half over the stem of this plant and then lay it on the roof. Makes layers that resist the wind. The stem of this plant can be sharpened to make a fishing spear, or used as the shaft and a few wires are attached to the end.

Scientific name: Tarenna efatensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. palm tree sp. (RPV #19)

Scientific name: Hydriastele cylindrocarpa, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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 bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[napanaunuŋ eθa] phr. where are you going?

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[narasɛn numu] n. skin (of a fish)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. shrub to 3 m, flowers yellow with red outer coverings (appearing red when closed) (collection: Michael J. Balick #4957)

Example: This plant is used to fertilize fields, especially by growing it in fields that have been used for other crops for a very long time. The seeds can be cooked when dry and hard, boiled in water, or eaten directly without preparation when green and soft.

Scientific name: Cajanus cajun, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. the south-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. a sweet-smelling plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. sparsely branched small tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3209)

Example: The fruit is edible when ripe and when it is younger can be eaten with salt. The young leaves are eaten raw, after being rubbed with coconut meat and salt. Cover pork to be cooked in the oven with the leaves of this plant, tie them on with a rope made from Pandanus leaf and put taro on the fire as well. The oily part of the pig will mix with the taro and enhance its flavor.

Scientific name: Ficus scabra, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. rush growing to 1-2 meters tall, round (collection: Michael J. Balick #4975)

Example: Split the stem of this plant on one side, open up the entire stem and make a roll of the stem. Use to weave baskets.

Scientific name: Schoenoplectus validus, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. prostrate creeping vine along coastlines. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #10)

Example: 1. To cure rubbush blood - Take a handfull f leaves of any age, pound it into a cupfull of water, squeeze the juice and drink when woman feels pain in head or inside the body or when the inside of the body is hot. Drink this once a day until the pain goes away. 2. To cure excessive bleeding after giving birth - boil naojapdak leaves (2-16) in seawater until leaves are soft and the water is brown. Sit on this water. 3. To close the cervix - boil 2 naojapdak leaves in water and bath in it. 4. Medicine: Smash leaves 1 handful, into cup and add a small amount of water to treat constipation—1 cup for children; 1.5 litres for adults. 5. Stomachache: same treatment, will clear bowel. 6. For leg sores, collect whole plant, put in water – a pool of water for 1 week, then use to dip sore as on leg into it for 10-15 minutes cure the sore.

Scientific name: Vigna marina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4145)

Scientific name: Acalypha repanda, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 3. 5-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3472)

Example: 1. This species is good for firewood when dried. 2. The wood is used as well for making house posts. 3. Use this w/ INCIPINTI (GMP 3471) for compost in the water taro field.

Scientific name: Melicope latifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nɛθoʊn] n. foot, leg

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. a bunch of grapes; also "nigaivaine"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

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

[nɛjsindiɛn] n. fish anus

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #6)

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. small tree. Found in the village, but not cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #17)

Example: 1. Ancestors used this plant to make fish line – cut young branches, remove outer bark and tie together, put in salt water or fresh water for a week, it is now strong, dry in sun, take fibers and twist them together to make a very long fishing line. 2. Leaves are used to feed pigs. 3. Take inner bark, scrape it and put on boils. Attach with any leaf and it takes out the boil. 4. Trunk for temporary bush house.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree 6 m tall, dbh 15 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4864)

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

[nɛlop] n. back fin (of fish)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree to 20 m, dbh 50 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4910)

Scientific name: Dysoxylum molle, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree, 9 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3707)

Example: The small straight stems of this plant are used for fishing spears and the larger poles for rafters.

Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. leaf

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree fern, trunk 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4102)

Example: 1. There are kinds of this plant. This is considered the white one. See GMP #4100, Cyathea sp., which is considered the black one.

Scientific name: Cyathea, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the chewed fiber of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

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. the holes in a coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

[nipat] n. horn

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[nipatunanin] n. goat horns

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. the orange tree (117); an orange, a lime, a lemon (102)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102, 117

[nipʧinite] n. cooking pot

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. terrestrial fern, growing in primary rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3614)

Example: People who go fishing take this plant along with other unspecified leaves, crush them and rub them on the fishing line that the person is using. This is said to attract more fish to the bait. It is also a "message plant" to be put in a person’s hat when they come back from fishing and then people know that they caught fish. Local name means "fish gill."

Scientific name: Schizaea dichotoma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3540)

Example: The straight trunk of this tree is used to make canoes. The black seed in the fruit is used to make necklaces. The inner bark is peeled and crushed in sea water and rubbed in the hair to make it curly. People do this treatment every day to make long hair curl like a rasta.

Scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the north-north-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. the south-south-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of breadfruit (old kind no longer known)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. vine to 1 m, fruits black. Secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4906)

Scientific name: Geitonoplesium cymosum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Pickhandle barracuda

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

Scientific name: Sphyraena jello via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. Sida rhombifolia L.

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against diarrhea

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121