Aneityum

affix in this direction; here; this

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

adj. crooked

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.a. pass over or through a country

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[an] pro. him

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.a. to ascend, to go up

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

v. break soft things (like bread, cassava, taro, etc.); cut in half

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. sail without making headway

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 180

v.n. to go ashore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

v. to emit sound from a bottle or coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

[dala nadimi] phr. five men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 75

v.n. expand as a leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 148

n. the clear part of the moon when first seen

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

[iɲara] n. Honeyeater, grey and orange (Vanuatu Honeyeater)

Example: Photo by Olivier Boissier, IBC973343. Photo of Vanuatu Honeyeater Gliciphila notabilis at Sola, Vanuatu. License: All rights reserved. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Gliciphila notabilis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

Scientific name: Astronidium aneityense, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Bluelined squirrelfish, Tahitian squirrelfish

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

Scientific name: Sargocentron tiere via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. taro (RPV #146b)

Scientific name: Caladium bicolor, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the candle-nut tree; also "inhaig"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. moderately branched treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3203)

Example: 1a. This type of hibiscus has young leaves that are reddish in color and it is an edible type. The stems are eaten during April-July. Harvest the stems, beat them and cut off the outer bark. Collect inner bark, slicing it off the stem and wrapping it in a banana type leaf with coconut milk added. Bake all night at least 8 hours, then it is eaten. Said to taste like a root vegetable. Used during the dry season when there are not many crops available. 1b. Take young shoot of the tree then pound the base to separate the base of the bark from the stem but leave it on the stem, say pound 4-5 inches around the base, then come back 3-4 months and the rest of the bark would be thicker. Then cut where it was pounded, cut stem in 1.5-foot pieces, bake on an earth oven, leaves on bottom layer (on top of charcoal) then sticks, then leaves on top, then hot stones, and then more leaves. Bake for 1.5 hours, then remove a stick at a time and use shell to scrape away outer bark, cut into 6 inch pieces, put on log, pound to make softer, put in lap lap leaves leaf wrapping, add coconut milk, put in stone oven, cook for one hour then open lap lap leaves and eat. 2. This variety is for this purpose just like Pohnpei. 3. This variety is not used for grass skirt.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. the stem of a bunch of bananas, coconuts, etc.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. stump of a tree; shaft of a candlestick

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4124)

Scientific name: Trichospermum inmac, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[inmejcop] n. Swamp Harrier

Example: Photo by birdsaspoetry / Flickr, License: CC BY-SA-NC 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Circus approximans, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Redface Squirrrelfish

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

Scientific name: Sargocentron violaceum via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[intas anejʧom] n. Aneityumese language

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[intiʧ ɲaŋ] n. ear

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. well branched tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3202)

Example: 1. Young shoots are peeled and made into grass skirts. Scrape the stem and take the green part off, tie strips together and put under stones in the sea for retting, let sit 5 days in sea, but check these on a daily basis. When the fiber becomes soft, that is the time to take it from under the stones, clean off the excess materials, and hang it in the sun to dry for 3 days--this will bleach it and give it a whitish color, at which point it can be woven into a skirt. 2. The fiber can be used to make a small rope that is tied with shells and used for custom dances. 3. When the stems of this tree are older, the wood is very hard and it can be used to make the main frame that is arched for a cyclone house. According to Reuben these houses are not made much anymore on Aneityum Island. 4. To cook the intestines of fish that are eaten, take several leaves and put them in a small pile, making a wrapping, then use a local fiber to tie this together and cook on charcoal for as long as needed to prepare the fish parts. 5. In this area, sometimes knowledge of the plants and flowering are used as a calendar to indicate the time for planting of specific crops. Reuben will provide more details on a future trip. 6a. This species is an important "message plant." If a person is not home and you are visiting from the East--e.g. an Eastern part of the Island--that person can leave a 12 inch piece of stick in front of the door of the house so that the inhabitant knows that an eastern visitor (from Anawonjei district) has come by your home. The reason that person has come to visit is to pass an important message to you--good or bad "luck". The bad luck message might be a death, and is not told directly to the person. The good luck message might be a birth, or conflict that has been resolved. These messages are communicated using sticks--each district has a different species of plant. Reuben’s is the hibiscus. 6b. Message plant for Eastern people. If someone dies, use this plant, clip it in front of hem, in front of home, they ask “who” and you can tell them. In Eastern culture you cannot tell them directly. 7. When a person is too drunk with kava, take a branch of this and brush him with it to help make the effects go away. 8. Traditional plates for food.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. water; fresh water

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3602)

Example: This plant produces an edible fruit, but it is smaller than the cultivated guava, and is considered the wild type. Firewood. Pinch 4 tops and chew and swallow for stomach ache and diarrhea.

Scientific name: Psidium guajava, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[kurimataʊ] n. cow (lit. dog’s older brother)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. ripe, as arrowroot; also "murre"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

[ŋmoroŋmora] n. ants

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. sapling directly under large tree of same species (20-25 m tall), growing in primary forest. Sterile. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3451)

Example: 1. Wood used for timber boards. 2. Timber tree, sawn timber young stems for spear fishing, clean bark, heat it, affix tips on the end.

Scientific name: Dacrycarpus imbricatus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. p. taro for the dead

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. palm to 15 m tall, dbh 30 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4913)

Scientific name: Carpoxylon macrospermum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. liana climbing on Syzygium, growing along ridge in dense rainforest. Bracts pale to deep red. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4078)

Scientific name: Freycinetia tannaensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a small whirlwind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. grass. Found along intra village path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #35)

Example: 1. Bath for babies to make them healthy and walk faster, mix with plants WAKAS (AAB 34), NITIDEI (GMP 3658 or 4043), and a grass NATUTAHUT (MJB 4945). Put all in a kettle filled of water and wash them with it – use 1 handful of each leaf.

Scientific name: Digitaria sp., Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. bark

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. chaff

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 134

n. east

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 146

n. native cabbage

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. channel of a stream

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 134

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a wing, a sheath, a covering of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. land newly planted with taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. liana, on Polyscias cissodendron (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3457)

Example: 1. Macerate the young stems, remove the outer "skin" to release the odor of the stem and weave into a head garland for decoration. 2. People use it as a headdress. This is a male plant, ancestors used both male and female wrapped together for the headdress. Man would put this on head to attract a woman that he liked. Be careful when you are passing other women who will be attracted to the wearer – so the person can’t speak to them so he can focus on the one he is attracted to.

Scientific name: Alyxia stellata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nepiŋ θoʊ] n. night, moon has just gone down but enough light to see

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. blade, as of corn or grass

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 128

[nesʤiŋ ʤin] n. October (lit. time to fertilize and plant the garden)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. edible fern

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. a fern tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[niɣɛn nʊmʊ] n. fish tail

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3510)

Example: The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time.

Scientific name: Macaranga dioica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niʧinɛθoʊn] n. knee

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[ninahɛn] n. scales

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. grass. Found in disturbed area behind the village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #12)

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. Main plant to thatch roof of local houses. 3. Collect the dry stems, tie together, use as a torch at night for walking or walking along the reef when fishing. 4. Take 1 cane and tie the leaves together and tie on a tree to indicate tabu – e.g. a citrus tree that will be ripe soon to tell people not to pick it. 5. To catch crabs just before sunset, burn the torch and shake the ashes on the rocks; come back an hour or so later and the crabs are attracted by the ashes and you can collect them. 6. Can also use to weave walls of house. 7. Women clean the leaves of the stem and use the hard part of the stem to strip pandanus leaf before weaving a basket. 8. Cut wild cane in half and sharpen the end, use this to cut the dried pandanus leaves into small strips. 9. Tie leaves into a knot and stick the knot on the kava stem; t is means that this kava goes “express” so the carrier goes to one border of a village and passes it to another person who knows it cannot stop in this village but goes to the next border and is passed on 10. This plant is a “message plant” to say “don’t stop,” referring to something being delivered.

Scientific name: Saccharum maximum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[niʧep] n. mat for sitting

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[nohoɪjam] n. fan of woven pandanus leaf

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[nohos upene] n. kind of banana (lit. "good banana")

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3540)

Example: The straight trunk of this tree is used to make canoes. The black seed in the fruit is used to make necklaces. The inner bark is peeled and crushed in sea water and rubbed in the hair to make it curly. People do this treatment every day to make long hair curl like a rasta.

Scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. pufferfish

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine, growing in coastal forest. Flowers red with yellow tinges. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3448)

Scientific name: Gloriosa superba, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. large epiphyte on dead tree, growing in open forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3478)

Example: The wood of this plant is very hard and can be used for house posts. Because the wood is somewhat heavy, younger stems can be sharpened at one end and the pole can be used to plant dryland taro, to make holes for the tubers. For planting swamp taro, the leaves can be used to line the pit that the taro is planted in; it is a local fertilizer for the taro, and as it rots the soil becomes soft while the taro is growing. The flowers are placed behind one’s ear to enjoy the fragrance or can also be used to make a floral necklace (Intañ).

Scientific name: Fagraea berteroana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Longfin African conger, moustache conger

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

Scientific name: Conger cinereus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. Convict surgeonfish, convict tang

Example: Photo by Philippe Bourjon / Fishbase, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

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

[noweɪtopɣat] n. pandanus fruit (pl)

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. fern to 0. 75 m, sori brown. Growing in pine forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4983)

Example: Join two of the inrolled fronds together at the part where the frond is opening (the tip that is curled) such that the leaves are held together by their unfolding growing tips. Place this along the path that is frequented by a wild pig (they travel along paths) and when the pig passes these two leaves, and is chased by a hunter’s dogs, these leaves in this formation are said to sap some of the pig’s energy and thus allow the dogs to catch up with it. This was explained to Tony by another person who mentioned it as a sort of magical power possessed by this type of fern.

Scientific name: Blechnopsis orientalis, Speaker: Tony Keith

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.n. sail inside of reef

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 180

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. down hither

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adv. down here

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. Blackfin barracuda

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

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

n. Yellowtail barracuda

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

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

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

n. tough; a kind of coral

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

adj. made of branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. herb to 0. 75 m, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4891)

Example: If a person has the flu, collect the fruits and chew and swallow them. Chew 3 fruits in the morning for 3 days. Take a handful of leaves, still on branches, and boil them in a half liter of water, for 15 minutes. Drink 1 cup daily for 5 days or until the sickness "goes down."

Scientific name: Sida rhombifolia, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. herb. Found along intra village path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #34)

Example: 1. To make baby grow strong - Take 16 tops of the plant, no flowers, and squeeze them into baby’s bath water. Bath baby in the water and let it dry on the baby. Don’t towel dry. 2. Medicine – take a large leaf, crush and rub it but don’t break it – just soften it and open it and cover the fresh cut with it – leave it there to heal the wound. Keep changing it until the wound gets healed. 3. For headache and fever – flu – take branches with no flowers or seeds, boil it 15 minutes to extract brownish juice, drink 1 cup hot 2, per day – morning and evening for 5 days. 4. The fruits – 7 – chew and swallow for stomachache. 5. Tie stems for broom.

Scientific name: Sida rhombifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119