Aneityum

[aɣes noraŋitei] phr. sing a song

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. moonlight

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to bud; to put forth leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 59

v. drink

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

v.n. expand as a leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 148

[et at̚pu an] phr. he is hiding

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. small

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. happy

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[inɣap] adj. red (?)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. scandent shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3277)

Scientific name: Neuburgia corynocarpa, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 6-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3618)

Example: The wood is good for house posts, as it is straight and strong.

Scientific name: Dysoxylum bijugum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #19)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze the juice into a small bamboo (1-1.5 inch diameter) The nafanu is important because it is a plant that connects to the sea. Use wildcane leaves cover the bamboo closed. Go to the sick person and unwrap the snake from her. Start from the top and let the woman drink a small part of the potion then wash her with the mixture, making sure to wash head, elbows, knees, feet, and belly. Then take a leaf of naha and break it over the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men.

Scientific name: Sophora tomentosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. fishing hook

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inŋa] n. Purple Swamphen

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

Scientific name: Porphyrio porphyrio, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. the name of a native plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. astronomy word, no def. given--possibly referring to a common shellfish "inhudaig". no def. for "ecro" or any feasible alternate spellings.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[iɲeθite anawanariɲ] n. a sand drawing

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. breadfruit

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4855)

Example: To treat a flu that has resulted in a thick, runny nose, collect sap of this tree, drink 2-3 drops directly (not in water). This is for treating the type of flu that provokes yellow mucus coming out of the nose. Drinking the sap breaks up the stuffy nose. Use once, it tastes very sour. In 3-4 days the mucus will be expelled. Do not use too much! If a person has a new cut, and the bleeding will not stop, place the sap on the cut and the bleeding will stop. If you have a burn that is bleeding, applying the sap will stop the blood and oozing sore. If a person has a sore on their body, cover it with a layer of the sap from this plant. This will ensure that the sore will not get larger from infection, flies, etc. but stay its original size. This plant is also used for unspecified spiritual practices. To determine if a fish you have caught is poisonous, e.g. with ciguatera, take an 8’ piece of small branch from this tree, peel the bark and put it inside the fish before you cook it on the earth oven. If the stick turns black, then you know that the fish is not good to eat--it has a poison so should be thrown away.

Scientific name: Tabernaemontana anguinea, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 4 m tall, dbh 6 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4941)

Example: Edible fruits, very well liked.

Scientific name: Eugenia rariflora, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a hedge; a shelter

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. stoloniferous herb, 15 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3561)

Example: In the past the ancestors learned to cook the leaves of this species with fish in an earth over and then eat the leaves as well as the fish. Today, fish are wrapped with small leaves and then covered with lap-lap leaf (Polyscias) and cooked in an earth oven.

Scientific name: Wedelia uniflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3486)

Scientific name: Psychotria

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3563)

Example: Children like to eat the fruit of this plant. It is said to taste like pineapple/mango. It must be very ripe to be eaten. Peel and discard the skin. The fruit is most sweet when it is on the ground for a few days. Some children eat the seeds of this fruit but it has a strong oily taste--too many cause vomiting and if a person eats 1-2 seeds it can cause diarrhea.

Scientific name: Ximenia americana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the evening star

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. creeping and decumbent vine, growing at edge of strand (near airstrip terminal). (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3575)

Scientific name: Stictocardia campanulata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the cool of the evening

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. coconut crab

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. sterile herb, juvenile form (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3438)

Example: This plant is used as a starchy food. To prepare it, grarte it into a dish, wash with water, the starch settles to the bottom, pour off the water, dry the starch in the sun and make it into a powder. The starch can be cooked with coconut milk and eaten.

Scientific name: Tacca leontopetaloides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

adj. dry

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[naŋeseŋa] n. sun

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4860)

Example: This is a common tree. If a person travels from one district to another on Aneityum, and you see the tree planted in that other district, a person knows they are free to come into this area. When the leaves are yellow, as in a young tree, the local name is nala’gay. If a person carries a branch of this tree into a village it is a symbol that the person is coming with peaceful intentions.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nalak ŋaɣeseɣa] n. kind of plantain ("red like the sun")

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4778)

Scientific name: liana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nawʊnalak] n. calf muscle

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a calm, a smooth sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

[narasɛn] n. skin

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. a small water-plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. Brassy trevally

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

Scientific name: Caranx papuensis via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. a bamboo flute

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. withered banana leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. a kind of bamboo (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #25)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze the juice into a small bamboo (1-1.5 inch diameter) The nafanu is important because it is a plant that connects to the sea. Use wildcane leaves cover the bamboo closed. Go to the sick person and unwrap the snake from her. Start from the top and let the woman drink a small part of the potion then wash her with the mixture, making sure to wash head, elbows, knees, feet, and belly. Then take a leaf of naha and break it over the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men. 2. To make house walls cut to length desired break stems into straps and weave ??. 3. Use stem to cook foods. 4. Container for carrying water. 5. Take tips and tie together and make a torch to go fishing on the reef, walk with the torch – this is a current practice in the East side. 6. Can cut a piece about 1’ long and sharpen edge and use to skin a green banana. 7. Traditional medicine – can use a small segment as a sort of container to carry the traditional medicine to the patient – for example when prepare a sea snake for remedy, or any medicine – to carry it. 8. Used as a container to preserve seeds such as corn, cucumber, beans and is covered with coconut fiber and put near (above?) the fire where it is dry, and the smoke from the fire will keep insects from attacking the seeds.

Scientific name: Bambusa vulgaris, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. break of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4773)

Scientific name: Phyllanthus myrianthus, 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. shrub, somewhat scandent (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3443)

Scientific name: Acalypha grandis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

adj. full of seeds, as the pawpaw apple

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

[nefelan] n. a path

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. scandent shrub, growing in dense rainforest. Fruits purple-red. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4117)

Scientific name: Medinilla cauliflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. before daylight

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3513)

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: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3479)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used in cooking, particuarly with 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. The young stems of this plant are used in home construction but as they are small and thin, they are not used for posts.

Scientific name: Cleidion javanicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. shrub to 1 m, dby 2 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4999)

Example: It is said that if you chew these leaves or boil them in water and drink the tea from these leaves it will spoil your teeth. There is assumed to be something bad for the teeth in this plant. Local name "Nijom" =tooth and "Kan" = break.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. vine climbing up a macaranga tree, growing in open disturbed area. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3588)

Example: 1. To build a cyclone house, take the vine of this species to tie pieces of the house. To prepare the vine for use as rope, collect many feet of it, put it in a fire, roll it in a figure 8, wait until it softens and then use for tying. This vine is hard and needs to be heated to a high temperature in the fire to make it soft; the person preparing this must use gloves to tie it to the posts and rafters while it is still warm. When it cools, it is very strong. Rope made from this vine will last a long time--perhaps 10-15 years. It can also be used to make a regular house. However, it is not as strong as GMP #3589. 2. For men who want rasta in hair, take a few leaves and dry them, burn with some other plants to rub on the rasta and keeps it healthy, keep from splitting.

Scientific name: Geitonoplesium cymosum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nilin] n. shoulder

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4760)

Scientific name: Polyalthia nitidissima, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a tree, the leaves of which have no center rib

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. coconut leaves, plaited for covering ridge of roof

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. tree from which petticoats or skirts are made

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. fruit trees

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

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. species of vine runner; a basket net

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3626)

Scientific name: Arytera neoebudensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. manioc, cassava

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. cliff

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 135

[nugep] n. Mackinlay’s cuckoo dove

Example: Photo by David Cook Wildlife Photography / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Macropygia mackinlayi, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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 tree trunk, growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3290)

Scientific name: Procris pedunculata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3624)

Example: Use the wood of this plant for roof rafters.

Scientific name: Syzygium myriadenum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. stem of coconut leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188

prep. up there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[rak͡pad] n. black hawk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

v.a. to take off sprouts of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110