Aneityum

affix yonder; away from

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[aɣes nohos] phr. I eat/bite a banana

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. tempestuous at sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 48

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go in and out among

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. taro; yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 54

v. cover up

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. rest

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tendrils; small branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 71

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3520)

Example: Children sometimes eat this fruit but it smells bad. Adults do not eat it. An introduced species so there is no local name.

Scientific name: Annona glabra

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

v. to teaze, as cotton; also "ehyeiyihi"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 76

phr. I am quite useless

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

[et alk͡puas an] phr. he is big

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et amai inɣaɣen] phr. he chews kava (traditional)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et atut] phr. is running

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

phr. the reeds blossom.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. without branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 130

n. small tree, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4020)

Example: 1. The name of this plant translates as bad tooth, and relates to its use as a plant used to poison others. If one wants to commit an evil act against another, he or she will rub the leaves together and squeeze them over the targets food. It will make their teeth rotten and fall off quickly. More information witheld.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

adj. soft, as an infant’s foot, or new leaves.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

[inɣaɣen] n. kava (traditional)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. bramble

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 130

n. the white wood of a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. herb, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3676)

Scientific name: Hedychium coronarium, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[indraʊ] n. pandanus leaf wrapping for the preparation of fish

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. herb to 1 m, flower bracts yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4921)

Example: Introduced species, used for decoration. Planted near houses and roads. Use the flower for decorating hair.

Scientific name: Alpinia purpurata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. calabash

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. summer, autumn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 190; 126

n. old coconut leaves

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

n. Tabernaemontana padacaqui

Example: leaf used for for wounds; cold maceration taken internally against "skin cancer" (severe wounds?). Stalk, chewed, influences sex of an embryo in favor of a girl.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1. 5 m tall, sterile. Growing in weedy patch behind buildings on edge of trail. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4986)

Example: People use the leaves of this plant to wrap lap-lap for cooking on the earth oven or when boiling foods. The leaves can also be used as serving plates and to cover the stones on the earth oven.

Scientific name: Heliconia indica, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. treelet, 1. 75 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4077)

Scientific name: Ixora aneityensis

n. trees, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4133)

Scientific name: Caryota ophiopellis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in open area at edge of forest (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3480)

Example: This plant is a "message flower." If a person puts this flower behind their ear or in their hat, and looks at another person, it is an invitation to that person to go with you to the nakamal. 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 petri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. parasite in tree, flowers orange with reddish base. Growing in secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5000)

Example: This plant is said to have a type of magical use. Young men take one node of the stem of this plant and use it in an unspecified way to attract young women.

Scientific name: Amyema aneityensis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. herb, growing in coastal forest. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3446)

Scientific name: Wollastonia biflora, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

Scientific name: Psychotria

[inwerinɣweɪ] n. board (sg)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. Synedrella nodiflora

Example: leaf rubbed in hands for toothache

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the seven stars; the children of Kumnyumoi

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. arrowroot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

[maja ga oʔo] phr. yes or no (traditional)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Vittaria lineata

Example: Frond: cold maceration taken internally against ciguatera

Scientific name: Vittaria lineata, Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

[nadimi deroʊ] phr. two men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4069)

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3710)

Example: The nut of this tree is edible. Crack open the fruit and eat the seed raw. It can also be used to plug holes in a canoe.

Scientific name: Canarium harveyi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3488)

Example: The wood of this species is very straight and people make fishing spears out of it. The wood, being straight, is used as well for roof rafters.

Scientific name: Pavetta opulina, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial fern, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3712)

Example: The very young leaves of this plant are edible.

Scientific name: Ptisana smithii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. isle, island

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 160

n. feathers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[napat apeiŋ] n. black cloud

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. the south-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3487)

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 – did not need matches (lefre(?) matches) because embers would stay for days and when make a fire add smaller branches to make a flame.

Scientific name: Ficus scabra, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4067)

Example: 1. When pig is cooked in an earth oven, branches of this speces are used to cover the pig, before hot rocks are heaped on top.

Scientific name: Ficus kajewskii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. hemlock

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 157

[nefiaŋ] n. January (lit. big wild sugar cane)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3518)

Example: People plant this tree near the coast, specifically as small fish and shellfish hide in it to breed and people know this.

Scientific name: Rhizophora samoensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. yellow leaves for making petticoats

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nenesanej neijaŋ] n. coconut fiber for kava

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nepiŋ sepahaj] n. night, the moon has not come up yet, "the moon is down"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[neplaroʊ] n. April (lit. between good and bad weather month)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. clouds rising up against the wind (possibly black clouds)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. a species of fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. terrestrial fern, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4047)

Scientific name: Diplazium melanocaulon, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nija] n. cup for bait

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. orange

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 169

[nipʧinite] n. cooking pot

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. terrestrial fern on forest floor, growing in disturbed forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3482)

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

Scientific name: Schizaea dichotoma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. sparsely branched tree, 2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3628)

Example: This plant is used to make a grass skirt for women. There are two different methods decribed. In the first, collect the leaves, tear off 1/2 of the leaf and pleat the halves. Then dry these in the sun by hanging them from the midrib. After they are dry, weave them into a skirt. In the second, take one leaf at a time, tear the leaf down the center and throw away the midrib. The soft part is used in making the skirt by holding a piece of twine between your toes and under your armpit. Weave the length of the twine with the leaf. The let the pieces to dry in the sun for 2-3 days. The skirt can be thrown in the sea before drying to make the skirt white. Bark of inhao is usually used as twine. Retted strips of leaves, later sun dried, can be used to make pillows. When dogs or humans have fish poisoning this plant can help. Take 2 leaves and pound them (use 1 leaf for dogs) and mix with 1/4 cup of water. no further instructions given. (OR - Leaves to cure ciguatera, chew 1 leaf and swallow juice and spit out fiber. Or extract juice into a cup to drink 1x. Give juice + water in cup for dog that is sick.) There is also a belief that you can use the whole stem of this plant as a digging spade to plant sugarcane so the sugarcane is soft and sweet.

Scientific name: Dracaena sp., Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[nohopɣop] n. Glossy swiftlet

Example: Photo by Lip Kee, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Collocalia esculenta, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[nowanavin] n. sand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. the red star, the "hand" in the constellation Orion; also "necye"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of palm

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. fish; life

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

conj. conjunction to join sentences together

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. rough, applied to sugarcane-leaf thatch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

adv. down here

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adj. perennial (applied to water); also "etweite", "inweite"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 171