Aneityum

[aɣes noraŋitei] phr. sing a song

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go though, as the land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v. to collect raw food, as sugarcane taro, for a feast of uncooked food

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

conj. and

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[apo akro] phr. I’m going to share this with this

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adj. sharp

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. passed by on the other side

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 79

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 75

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. small tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4021)

Scientific name: Astronidium aneityense, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a basket of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3573)

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

Scientific name: Hedychium coronarium, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[iɲhoɣ] n. Honeyeater, black and red

Example: Photo by Lars Petersson, IBC1270200. Photo of Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis at Makira (San Cristobal) Island, Solomon Archipelago. License: All rights reserved. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Myzomela cardinalis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. first fruits

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. Moorish idol

Example: Photo by Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Zanclus cornutus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. shrub to 1 m, flower white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4866)

Example: When making a taro patch, and removing soil, add the leaves of this plant to the soil to fertilize the taro, and prevent the bottom part of the taro from rotting. Put a layer of leaves on the bottom of the patch before planting taro and covering with soil.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3499)

Example: This plant has an unspecified medical use. Children make slingshots out of the fork of the stem of this tree.

Scientific name: Ervatamia orientalis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the cold season; winter

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

[inmoho] n. moon

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. a comet

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. shrub. Growing in the village. Cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #26)

Example: 1a. To stay healthy while pregnant - grate 1 coconut with nekei leaves, about a handfull (8). And 8 inpa leaves and 8 niditau leaves. Pound all of this together and squeeze juice out and bath in this then jump into a clear river to wash it off. 1b. Handful of leaves mashed with grated coconut and put in a shell, heat stones and put in shell, then take hot liquid to rub on body of woman who have just delivered to make their bodies healthy again, back to normal – when they deliver they are in huts, then wash with this and then come out of the huts and rejoin family. 2. Symbolic plant for peace (name means peace). 3. Message plant – put small tips of leaves in hair or make hat out of it and people know you come in peace. 4. When giving a gift, put this leaf on the gift, as in a basket – people wear them they are happy and peaceful – it is symbolic of Aneityumese people – so even when the people leave the island they will grow this plant. 5. People bathe with this leaf, mixed with grated coconut and cover body and hair to smell good and be strong. 6. Mosquito repellant, build fire, put green leaves on top, smoke and aroma chases mosquito away. 7. Take top of leaf with 3 young leaves and put in hair as there is the belief that this plant symbolizes the trinity. So it protects people. If a person from the island goes elsewhere and is faced with black magic they bathe with a handful of leaves, boil them and bathe with the liquid to remove the spell. 8. Decorate people with this leaf day feasts, weddings, and other events – very sacred.

Scientific name: Euodia hortensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. treelet or shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3204)

Example: To treat a headache, people traditionally would make a small cut ¼ inch long with a bamboo or piece of glass around the eyebrows where it is soft and then drip juice of the crushed leaves in the cut to take away the pain. Let the cut bleed first and then put the juice in it and it will stop the pain. The bleeding will stop the pain and the leaf juice will stop the bleeding – sometimes the pain will go away immediately and sometimes it takes a few minutes. So this technique is used to treat a very strong headache like a migraine.

Scientific name: Malvaviscus arboreus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Samoan tropical-almond (RPV #29)

Scientific name: Terminalia samoensis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Scientific name: Wollastonia biflora, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4758)

Scientific name: Pyrostegia venusta, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Pacific ironwood, horsetail tree (RPV #26)

Scientific name: Casuarina equisetifolia, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. yellow (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. whale

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inʧataheɪjn] n. hen

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4767)

Scientific name: Leucaena leucocephala, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

adj. ripe, as fruit; healed, as a wound; also "mah"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[naɣiŋaɣas] n. Mystery Island (eastern part) (lit. chiefly basket for fish or fish will always want to get your bait)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the middle of the forenoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3725)

Scientific name: Leucaena forsteri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[naŋeseŋa] n. sun

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. dwarf (North dialect)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plantain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. herb to 1 m, flowers yellow. Growing at edge of cultivated field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4956)

Scientific name: Triumfetta procumbens, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3490)

Example: 1. The larger stems of this plant can be used to build houses, for rafters. 2. It is also a good source of firewood. 3. Ancestors, before go to chief’s canal and want to talk about a complicated issue – a person would cut a branch and bring it to the sea and tap the water surface and would say what he wants, ask that he would want that issue to be solved and that others would follow his ideas and then go back to the meeting place and take stick, keep wind at his back, moving stick in all directions and then he will convince the people of his ideas. This is done by the chief’s spokesman. Helps convince the opposition. Helps keep power in hands of parent(??) chief rather than subchiefs who might have other ideas.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

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

Scientific name: Maesa aneiteensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[narasɛn numu] n. skin (of a fish)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. east

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 146

n. fence-forming shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3206)

Example: 1a. Cultivated in gardens. Cook seeds of this species or eat them raw before they are fully ripened. The green pods can also be cooked in a fire and eaten. 1b. Cultivated plant for its edible seeds, can be prepared in a pot of bamboo. OR could take branches w/ seeds and put directly on the earth oven for cooking. 2. Planting this species adds nitrogen to the soil--grow it on soil that is said to be "tired."

Scientific name: Cajanus cajan, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. herb, growing on roadside in open disturbed area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3607)

Scientific name: Ischaemum muticum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. bamboo to 5 m, sterile. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4940)

Example: Used to build walls of local houses. The outer skin is stripped off, stems cut in half then smashed flat, the inside is stripped clean and woven into walls. The cut pieces of entire stems can be filled with food and used for cooking that food. Cover both ends with leaves and cook. If a person has skin that becomes infected, use sharpened stem as a local knife to remove the infected area of skin. Use as a local water pipe to move water from one place to another (nobol). Either split the stem in half or punch the nodes out throughout the entire tube and use as a pipe.

Scientific name: Bambusa vulgaris, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4901)

Scientific name: Plerandra tannae, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. species of pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. epiphyte c. 1 m above forest floor, growing in secondary forest above river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3650)

Example: The younger,soft leaves are used to wrap local foods, for example bananas. To prepare a type of "local cheese," made from fermented breadfruit and fermented banana, mix a bit of coconut milk and wrap these two fruits in the leaves and cook under ground. Not clear about the way the food is fermented.

Scientific name: Asplenium australasicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial fern, 30 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3716)

Example: The leaves of this plant, along with other leaves, are used to make an unspecified traditional medicine.

Scientific name: Tapeinidium denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. nellet tree (RPV #116)

Scientific name: Dendrocnide latifolia, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. terrestrial fern, growing at edge of marsh (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3592)

Example: The root is used as a survival food, during famine, cook roots on fire and eat. Roast on charcoal.

Scientific name: Pteridium esculentum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. shrub, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3555)

Example: This plant is an aphrodisiac. Eat with coconut meat to make the body strong. Take 1/2 handful of leaves and mix with coconut leaves, use as needed. Mostly men eat this combination. It is best to eat with dry coconut that has no water in it. Eat it any time you wish.

Scientific name: Pemphis acidula, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3484)

Example: Name means smash tooth. 1. This is part of an unspecified mixture that can be used as a spell to give another person a toothache. 2. Toothache – chew leaves on the sore tooth and leave it there for a while and spit it out – it will break the tooth and you can take it out, leave on 20 minutes.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus fimbriatitepalus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. large tree, 18 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4076)

Example: 1. The name means "I come". This plant is used to convey messages. When a branch of this plant is left at the house of a person it indicates someone had visited them and they were not there. 2. Children eat the nut of the ripe (yellow) fruits.

Scientific name: Finschia chloroxantha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

n. herb, growing at edge of garden area. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3599)

Example: This is for a medicinal tea to give energy to a person who is not feeling well. Collect a handful of young stem apices and boil in 2-3 cups of water. Drink warm to help the body be strong and healthy. It is also good to treat diarrhea. When a person feels well again, stop this treatment but they can also drink this 1x daily, once before breakfast or before lunch, as a healthful tea.

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. Harry hotlips, blubberlip

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

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

n. a sago palm

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. beach

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. stem

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. orchard

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 169

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3571)

Example: As a medicinal plant, take the ripe fruits, put it in a dish or bucket, squeeze out the juice and save it for drinking. The dose is 1 tablespoon, morning and afternoon if a person feels tired. This treatment will help give energy to a person. The leaves are placed on the bottom and top of an earth oven to help cook the food. The leaves are also used to wrap shellfish for cooking over a fire. When chewing kava root to prepare it for drinking, put the piles of chewed root on top of this leaf to keep it clean. Some men cut the green fruit in half and rub it against the skin of their face after shaving to protect the skin from rashes and irritations.

Scientific name: Morinda citrifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to bear fruit as a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

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

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

n. a giant

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. downwards or westwards

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. tomato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. sweet potatoes

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to go down

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

n. Marattia smithii

Example: Frond: bathe in infusion, neurodermatitis and infantile eczema

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442