Aneityum

n. school of fish

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

v. scrape ashes off (of roasted taro)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. white (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. sleep

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go after

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v. rest

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. burn

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. unripe; also "ehlai"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 74

adj. healed, applied to wounds; ripe; yellow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

[et emθan] phr. he is strong

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. green peppers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. stunted tree, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3276)

Example: This is known as "woman’s kauri". The timber from this tree is used for houseposts.

Scientific name: Turrillia lutea, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. terrestrial sedge, c. 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3496)

Example: Children pull out the young shoots of this plant and play with them as a spear to throw.

Scientific name: Gahnia aspera, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. sandalwood

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. small tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3528)

Example: 1. This plant is used as firewood, but also the heartwood is sold. 2. In 2016, the first grade wood was 2500 VT per kilo, the second grade wood was 2000 VT per kilo. 3. The ancestors used to take the oil or wood chips from this tree and bathe with it to keep away evil spirits of the forest. It is currently planted on Aneityum for commerce. Scrape bark of sandalwood into coconut oil in same wat as GMP 3513 (gardenia) boil and take out the bark. 4. The leaves can be fed to pigs to make them strong and heavy.

Scientific name: Santalum austrocaledonicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. wind-related term; no definition provided. Possibly referring to "inhalav" ’child’.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3560)

Example: In ancient times this plant was used as a fiber to make skirts and rope. Take the stems, remove the leaves, rett the stems in sea water for a few weeks, sun dry the stems and then weave into rope or skirts. This plant is not much used for this purpose at the present time. This plant is used to make a medicine with an unspecified use.

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane; also "nalgaij"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Blue sea chub, snubnose chub, topsail drummer

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

Scientific name: Kyphosus cinerascens via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. first fruits

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

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

n. afternoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4754)

Scientific name: Passiflora suberosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. belt

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub. Found in the village Unames. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #32)

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: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a collection of plantations

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a horse-chestnut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3270)

Scientific name: Oxera lehuntei, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 8 m tall, dbh 1 m (collection: Michael J. Balick #4994)

Example: The flowers are used for decoration, in the yard or cut and brought into the house. The stem of this tree is good for firewood.

Scientific name: Bauhinia monandra, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. good luck plant (RPV #14)

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3616)

Example: 1. Many plants resemble this species, and are called by this name. 2. Babies who always cry – rub leaves, put them in bath where baby will bathe and this will help stop crying. 3. Ornament for around the house.

Scientific name: Pseuderanthemum longifolium, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub to 2 m tall, flowers yellow. Growing along coast. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4959)

Example: The young leaves are boiled for 15 minutes and coconut milk is added to the warm leaves and this is eaten--the coconut milk it said to make the leaves taste better. New mothers are given this food as it helps them to produce more milk for their babies. As a medicine, take the young shoots, peel the outer skin off of these, macerate a 3’ piece of young stem in a small amount of water, take out the fiber, put the juice in a tablespoon and feed it to a baby that is old enough to swallow water (not a new born) when they have diarrhea. Take once daily for 2-3 days. This remedy is used for babies up to one year of age. For older babies that have diarrhea, peel the young 3’ stems and give them to the child to chew (spit out the fiber) and have them drink a small amount of water after chewing. This treatment is once daily, for 2-3 days until the diarrhea stops. For adults, take 4 young stems about 3’ long and chew these and swallow the juice, twice daily (morning and afternoon) and use until the diarrhea stops. When this plant is in flower, hunters know that the turtle has more fat and can be harvested--a calendar plant.

Scientific name: Melanthera biflora, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3645)

Example: The ripe fruits of this plant are edible and said to be delicious as well as smell very good. When the fruits turn brown and soft you can open it and there will be a shell like an upsidedown turtle shell. You can eat the fruit out. As the fruit smells good, people put a basket of ripe fruits in their homes to give it a good smell. The unripe fruits can be eaten, but only when cooked in an earth oven so it is not sticky. The tree can be used for sawn timber. Can be used for building house, specifically the house posts. Number one timber.

Scientific name: Burckella obovata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. celestial

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 134

n. pungent scrub, island musk (RPV #101)

Scientific name: Evodia hortensis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. grass to 1 m, flowers purplish (collection: Michael J. Balick #4935)

Example: This grass is planted to protect a person’s farm from being affected by evil spirits.

Scientific name: Chrysopogon aciculatus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3539)

Example: The fruit of this species are poisonous. In ancient times the ancestors used the "fork" (branch growing out of main stem) of this wood to catch lobsters between the two parts of the stem. v

Scientific name: Ochrosia elliptica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nadimi dama] phr. four men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a plant with red leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. large palm, 20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4080)

Example: 1. Children eat the nut of the ripe fruits. 2. The leaf bases can be used, when tied together, two at a time, to create a bowl from which to drink. 3. In the past, the trunks were used to fashion a hunting spear used in tribal warfare. Further context withheld.

Scientific name: Veitchia spiralis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. epiphytic liana climbing up main trunk of garcinia pseudoguttifera, growing in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4014)

Scientific name: Freycinetia impavida, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. well branched tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4081)

Example: 1. The wood is used to carve a bi-handle bowl from which chiefs would drink kava.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. vine climbing in understory, growing in rainforest along river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4057)

Example: 1. This plant is named in relation to a winged fish. The leaves are rough and resemble the body the fish. 2. The leaves of this plant are used to wrap grated taro or manioc. After it is fastened with rope and boiled or baked.

Scientific name: Joinvillea plicata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 30-45 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4938)

Example: The wood is good for making paddles as well as to make canoes.

Scientific name: Adenanthera pavonina, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[napʊlaoʊ] n. shin

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. Orange-socket surgeonfish

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

Scientific name: Acanthurus auranticavus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. stone wall for building a garden

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. near morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. tree. Village home garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #9)

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. Edible fruits, when ripe or green, does not taste when green, but sweet when ripe. 3a. Leaves (young) are edible, for example wrap around coconut meat and eat or cook with island cabbage and other leaves, boil and add coconut milk and eat. 3b. 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. 4. During big feast, use this a lot – circumcison or wedding feast, harvest leaves and wrap around meat and bake on earth oven – sometimes we cut down a whole tree to gather leaves. 5. To make men’s custom belt – split stem, peel outer bark off to take inner bark and peel it, tear end to make strap that can be tied. Dry in sun but not direct sunlight. 6. Older large trunks were burned by ancestors to keep fire going – this was during the time when people did not have matches and did not need them as the embers of this tree would stay hot for days and when it was time to make a stronger fire, people would add smaller branches to make a flame appear.

Scientific name: Ficus aspera, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. scrambling vine, growing in coastal strand vegetation. Flowers yellow. 1. Medicine: Smash leaves 1 handful, into cup and add a small amount of water to treat constipation—1 cup for children; 1.5 XX for adults. 2. Stomachache: same treatment, will clear bowel. 3. 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. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3437)

Scientific name: Vigna marina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3652)

Scientific name: Leucosyke australis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3214)

Example: This tree makes good wood for canoes as well as timbers that are cut for building houses. A decoration that is placed around the head, known as salu-salu is made from these leaves. If you wear it, people know you are from Aneityum. In the early 1950’s-1960’s, Aneityum was the main place for logging this species. Now it is rare and in need of replanting. A project from New Zealand planted pine trees in its place and they have thrived here. In the same way, the sandalwood tree was overharvested and is rare now. Timber, very resinous so good to start fire – branches good for fire. They are the ones that have the sap, if a person in in the bush and finds young tree – sapling – they will make headdress from the leaves to show they came from the bush. Also, this is a Kastom name.

Scientific name: Agathis macrophylla, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nɛʝɲan] n. footprints (gen.)

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3724)

Scientific name: Acanthus ilicifolius, 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 fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3541)

Example: 1. The young leaves are placed under a pig being cooked in the earth oven, on top of stones, the fat drips on the leaves and then people eat the leaves with pig fat on it--said to be delicious. The branches are used to make pig pen fences. 2. Collect top branches, chop leaves boil and eat like island cabbage – or cook on charcoal and wrap fish w/ this leaf.

Scientific name: Pisonia grandis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 12 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4917)

Example: Flowers are used to decorate the house and other areas as they are very fragrant. The leaves are used to cover taro cooked in an earth oven.

Scientific name: Gardenia tannaensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 6-7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3527)

Example: 1. The flower is used to make a necklace and the wood used as poles for a house roof. The flower is very fragrant and people put it behind their ear to enjoy the aroma. The leaf is used to bake taro in the earth oven. Use a fire to heat stones, then when the fire burns down and the stones are hot, pile these leaves on top of the hot stones and then place the food being cooked--taro, fish, pig, cassava, banana or other foods--on top of the leaves. Then pile more of these leaves on top of the food and then place additional hot stones on top of that pile of leaves. While the food is cooking--each type of food takes a different amount of time--the leaves give off a very nice smell and help flavor the food. 2. Firewood, flower smells good, put in coconut oil to give it aroma. Grate coconut, add small amount of water, put in bowl, heat until water is evaporated, the oil is on top, take all the coconut cream on bottom save oil in another pot. Drop 2-3 flowers into coconut oil and boil, or more flowers. Try not to burn the oil. Take out flowers and use pure oil. Also used for final covering of large earth oven during feast along with GMP 3503 – esp. wedding feast. Planting pole and hard and heavy wood – sharp end. 3. This is a "calendar plant." When it flowers, people know that the taro is ready to harvest.

Scientific name: Gardenia tannaensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4867)

Example: Fruits are sweet and edible when ripe. This plant is an indicator of rich soil, a good place to plant one’s garden. The leaves of this species are mixed in with other leaves for an unspecified local medicine that helps to remove spiritual sickness

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. a reed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

[niŋeɣ] n. Mystery island (western, longer part)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. brow of a hill

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 131

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. herb. Growing along village path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #2)

Example: 1. Take handful of young leaves from the middle of the branch and rub until soft. Squeeze the leaves into a cup to get the juice. This will help with a stomache ache for any woman, but especially women who have been fed a potion. 2. To stop baby crying - take 8 fresh leaves and squeeze into warm water. Medicine, wash the plant, take either the leaves or whole plant, 1 handful of leaves, boil in 1 liter water for a few minutes, let it cool, drink 1 cup 1x day for 3 days, flu, headache, stomachache. Considered a weed that likes to grow in cultivated areas.

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nepjeŋ] n. fish bait

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[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. ray of light in the morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 177

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

Scientific name: Nephrolepis cordifolia, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niŋa] n. shell

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. Spangled emperor

Example: Photo by Richard Ling, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Lethrinus nebulosus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. hay

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 156

n. tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3639)

Example: This tree is a good source of wood for house posts and roof rafters. Some people eat the ripe fruits of this species but even on the same tree, some of the ripe fruits have a sour taste, even though they look alike.

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. fruit dove

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4753)

Scientific name: Arytera neoebudensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the south-south-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[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

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 60 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4984)

Example: Peel the shell of the fruit and eat the inner part, or make jam from this part. Spit out the seeds. The branches of this tree are used for firewood.

Scientific name: Ceratonia siliqua, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. Sida rhombifolia L.

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against diarrhea

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. three days ago; three days hence

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. Jesus

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi