Aneityum

v. to spit on leaves; to chew leaves for sickness

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 56

v. see

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to steer, as a boat or a ship

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to prepare pandanus leaves for making mats or baskets

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to go ashore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

v.n. sail from deep water

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. walk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. green (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[et emθan] phr. he is strong

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. a place up or eastward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. the Pleiades, the seven stars

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. plastic bailer, bottle to get water out of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inɣap] adj. red (?)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. twig, branch

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Macaranga megacarpa (RPV #41)

Scientific name: Macaranga megacarpa, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inʤa] n. blood

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[inja] n. Red Jungle Fowl, all chickens

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

Scientific name: Gallus gallus, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. epiphyte, growing in secondary forest along trail above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3664)

Example: This plant is used to make a head garland, but if you are going hunting or fishing do not put this on your head as you will not be successful in your quset. This is the grass skirt for the spirits; you can hear them but you cannot see them.

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. Whitespotted surgeonfish

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

Scientific name: Acanthurus guttatus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. herb, growing on roadside in open disturbed area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3605)

Example: 1a. This is an invasive weed that was brought to Aneityum by aircraft. Name means "aircraft mess". 1b. Means “planes waste” refers to white trails as this has lots of white seeds that fly.

Scientific name: Crassocephalum crepidioides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[katɣapohoθ] n. Venus, or the morning star

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3205)

Example: 1. Plant this tree at each of the four corners of a fence to keep your pigs in and protect against a type of bad luck. If a man sleeps with his wife who is having her period, and then the man goes to see the pig, the pig will suffer and not grow strong and not have many piglets. So the presence of this plant controls against bad luck that others can bring to your pig farm. 2. This is an ornamental plant grown around the home. Sticks of this plant are planted around the outside of the garden and grow to create a fence, to protect the crops and keep them healthy, as well as protect the crops from people that are not cleansed in the ritual way. 3. This species is also planted around the house to add color and is very decorative in general. 4. For fertilizer in taro holes for water taro. For baly(?) taro and water taro, lay these flat on the surface of the charcoal, then lay the food – taro, cassava – on this and cover with another layer, add hot stones and cook. 4. Pig food, goat food.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[laknu] n. Vanikoro Flycatcher

Example: Photo by Arthur Chapman, License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Myiagra vanikorensis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

n. Oriental sweetlips

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

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

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1. 5 m tall, flowers yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4894)

Example: When seeds are grey-white, they are ripe. Pick these and make decorations out of them such as necklaces. Women make these necklaces.

Scientific name: Coix lacryma-jobi, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. epiphyte on main trunk of large mango tree, growing in secondary forest above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3657)

Scientific name: Ophioderma pendula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. thorn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 193

n. tree to 30 m, dbh 75 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4911)

Example: Stems of this tree are used to make canoes as they are always straight. Tree can also be used to for timber and as firewood.

Scientific name: Serianthes ebudarum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4777)

Scientific name: Maesa aneiteensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[napat ireɣpo] n. round clouds that bring rain

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dwarf cloud-forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3268)

Example: For performing a weather magic ritual to produce fog, this plant is fermented along with another plant (nirid u numu) in a hole in a sacred stone (called "Naemoso") at a secret location on Aneityum.

Scientific name: Trichomanes, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. well branched tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3651)

Example: Poles made from this plant are used for house rafters and burned for firewood. To plant taro in a swampy area, collect the leaves of this species and put them in the hole where the taro is to be planted, mix with a bit of soil and then plant the taro on top of that. Leaves are a type of fertilizer. Used when baking with the earth oven. Hot stones cover the food and then the leaves from this plant cover the stones. The leaves stay on the branch.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[narasɛn] n. skin (general)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a bamboo flute

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. withered banana leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. quicksands

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 176

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3534)

Example: This tree has very hard wood. 1. Use the small stems to plant dry land or swamp taro, sharpening the end and pushing it into the ground to make a hole. 2. It also is useful for fence, posts for houses. 3. Small stems are also used to make a comb for the hair. 4. Plant pole for taro kava. 5. A branch is shaped and used to husk coconut. 6. The wood is hard and in ancient times people would take a forked piece and put string on one side of it, sharpen the other side and use with the string as a fish hook – need to keep rope tight until it is in the canoe. Do not give it slack – strong use AAM 17.

Scientific name: Halfordia kendack, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. tall shrub. Growing uncultivated near Unames outside the village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #30)

Scientific name: Acalypha grandis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[neθeɣ] n. Collared Kingfisher

Example: Photo by JJ Harrison, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Scientific name: Todiramphus chloris, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

n. partly fallen tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4055)

Example: 1. The wood of this tree is used to make rafters of traditional homes.

Scientific name: Melicope bonwickii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3535)

Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. giant fern (RPV #223)

Scientific name: Angiopteris evecta, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. terrestrial, rare (collection: Tom A. Ranker #2486)

Scientific name: Histiopteris incisa

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. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4127)

Example: 1. This wood can be used to start a fire, where there are no matches. Two dried pieces of wood are rubbed vigorously together to create tinder. The tinder is then added to dried material in order to start a fire. 2. The wood of this plant is used as rafters in traditional houses.

Scientific name: Melochia odorata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nenesanej neijaŋ] n. coconut fiber for kava

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. strangler tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3694)

Scientific name: Ficus obliqua, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. Barringtonia asiatica L.

Example: inner bark: ground, added to dug pools in the sea as fish poison

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. a fern tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[niaŋa ra ʊpsiʤman] n. fingernails (many)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3587)

Example: 1. If the preferred banana leaves are not available to wrap food for cooking, then use young leaves of this species and tie taro and fish for cooking. 2. Use leaves to wrap fresh water prawns and fresh water fish and cook them on charcoal. Use as a cup by making funnel out of leaf and drink from it. 3. Used for unspecified ritual activities.

Scientific name: Dillenia biflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[niʧinɛθoʊn] n. knee

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. leaves to put food on

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

[nirinɣat erefera ran] n. pandanus leaf rolled for the preparation of mats and baskets

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree from which petticoats or skirts are made

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[nitaʔtel] n. stool

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Ficus adenosperma

Example: Stalk: chewed, agaist headache

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

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

large tree, 13 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4052)

Example: 1. Considered to be a relative of textit{Morinda citrifolia}.

Scientific name: Neuburgia corynocarpa

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. species of vine runner; a basket net

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a yam

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

[nuʤaɣ] n. kind of shell

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

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. the south-south-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 106

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. seaward

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

[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

[rak͡pad] n. black hawk

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

n. Bigeye barracuda

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

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

adv. by land; on land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109