Aneityum

v. bite, sing

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. taro; yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 54

v.a. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[arinʤi] adj. very strong (?)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

adj. a second growth as of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

[et haklin an] phr. he is small

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. cut nut (RPV #58)

Scientific name: Barringtonia procera, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. fish poison tree (RPV #57)

Scientific name: Barringtonia asiatica, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. trees; fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. dried colored grass

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3543)

Example: Red, dried fruits are fed to small chicks as food.

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the heart wood of a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

[inʤap] n. sea

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4933)

Example: The wood is light and used to make paddles for canoes.

Scientific name: Symplocos aneityensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Titan triggerfish

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

Scientific name: Balistoides viridescens via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4768)

Scientific name: Tabernaemontana pandacaqui, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a foreign convolvulus

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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 fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. island

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inpwain ~ inhwain] n. Pacific Reef Egret

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

Scientific name: Egretta sacra, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. epiphyte on trees, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4093)

Example: 1. Sickness blo namya. When a man accidentally has intercourse with a woman during her menstrual cycle, he can become sick. The leaves are squeezed, along with others, to produce an extraction. The dose and duration varies according to the degree of the symptoms. Further information about the preparation withheld.

Scientific name: Psilotum complanatum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. parasite on branches of Geissois denhamii tree, growing in dense rainforest. Flowers orange-red. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4028)

Example: 1. This plant is known to kill other trees and is regarded as a parasite. 2. The plant is related to kastom use regarding the separation of two lovers--more information witheld.

Scientific name: Amyema aneityensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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 fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine to 1 m, flowers purple. (kudzu plant). (collection: Michael J. Balick #4920)

Example: Roast the tuber of this vine on an open fire for 20-40 minutes, peel off the skin and eat like cassava or taro. Chew it and drink the "juice" while spitting out the fiber. It grows wild, season of harvesting is in May. Very tasty food for people, considered "numba wan" food for this island.

Scientific name: Pueraria lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. dragon plum (RPV #3)

Scientific name: Dracontomelon vitiense, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[kitlel] n. teapot (probably loanword from "kettle")

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. well branched tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3461)

Example: The fruit of this species are poisonous. In ancient times the ancestors used the "fork" (branch growing out of main stem) of this wood to catch lobsters between the two parts of the stem.

Scientific name: Ochrosia elliptica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[ŋmoroŋmora] n. ants

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. mid-day, noon

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nadimi dama] phr. four men (there are)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Crinum asiaticum; variation asiaticum L.

Example: from leaves taken internally as a laxative to treat ciguatera and against asthma

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 439

n. a plant, the fruit of which is prepared like arrowroot, and used as a food for sick people

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

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

Scientific name: Carpoxylon macrospermum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plantain

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. shrub to 1. 5 m, dbh 4 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #5005)

Example: In areas such as this, where more traditional leaves used to wrap lap-lap are scarce, this leaf can be used as it is quite large.

Scientific name: Cyrtandra, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[napwat] n. cloud

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. current in the sea

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 140

[narisin nɛpʧinoʊɣsin] n. lips

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. native cabbage

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers greenish white turning to brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4886)

Example: In taller forest, this plant is higher so can use it to make a spear. Sharpen the end or use wires as the tip. Unspecified medicinal use.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus myrianthus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a red coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Humpnose big-eye bream

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

Scientific name: Monotaxis grandoculis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3652)

Scientific name: Leucosyke australis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 5-6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3522)

Example: This is a "calendar plant." When it flowers, people know that the taro is ready to harvest. It does not grow in the forest, but only along the coast in grassy areas. Use wood as posts for roof of house.

Scientific name: Geissois denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 5 m, flowers white. Growing in secondary forest with metroxylon palms and other large trees. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4954)

Example: The pear shaped fruits are eaten when ripe. Peel off the outer skin, eat inner part and discard the seed. The leaves are used to protect food as it is being cooked on an earth oven. To prepare the oven, pile hot stones, then put a layer of leaves on the stones, and then place hot stones on top of the leaves. To make a hot oven, the stones are lined in a pit, a fire lit, more stones placed on firewood and the top layer of stones gets very hot. Then, remove the stones from the top of the wood, and cook food o the bottom layer of stones, add a layer of leaves, place the food on top of this, then cover with a layer of leaves and then pile the rest of the hot stones on top of the leaves.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree to 10 m, dbh 75 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4988)

Example: The young aerial roots are cut from the stems of the tree and used as a local rope, to tie things, help construct temporary shelters, as well as to make string for a hunting bow. Flying foxes like to eat this fruit so in the night when the fruit is mature hunters come by this tree to hunt flying foxes as well as hunting birds during the day. Hunters use bows and arrows for birds, and throwing sticks (natou) made from any plant to hunt flying foxes.

Scientific name: Ficus kajewskii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 3 m tall, 20 cm dbh (collection: Michael J. Balick #4869)

Example: To treat toothaches, take a handful of leaves, boil them in 1 cup of water, take the warm liquid and leaves and wash or rinse the affected area as needed until pain resolves. The wood is used for carving and is yellowish in color. The stems are used to secure the outrigger to a traditional canoe.

Scientific name: Murraya paniculata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[ɲɛsŋa nɛmtan nʊmʊ] n. fish eye

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nesŋan ʤap] n. waves (beach)

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. cane (sugar)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 133

n. prepared pandanus leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 170

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. frankincense

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

n. tree fern, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4100)

Example: 1. There are kinds of this plant. This is considered the black one. See GMP #4102, Cyathea sp, which is considered the white one.

Scientific name: Cyathea decurrens, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nikmesej] n. blue sky

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nilin] n. shoulder

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. the orange tree (117); an orange, a lime, a lemon (102)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102, 117

n. kind of seashell

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. fern to 0. 75 m, sori brown. growing along trail. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4972)

Example: The fronds of this fern are used to wrap sting ray and shark meat, which have a great deal of moisture in them, for cooking on the earth overn. Wrap the fronds (leaves) around the meat and tie with a Pandanus string. Because they are not thick, broad, entire leaves, but rather have many places in them where water can drain out during the cooking process, it is said that these leaves are much better for preparing these two types of fish, as well as any other meat that contains a great deal of moisture. For cooking on the earth over, put these wrapped foods on top of any other leaves so that they do not touch the hot stones directly, and then cover with other leaves as well. Then place the hot stones on top of these wrapped meats.

Scientific name: Pneumatopteris, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. meadow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 165

n. fruit; also "nohwan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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. Striated surgeonfish

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

Scientific name: Ctenochaetus striatus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

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

Scientific name: Arytera neoebudensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. cliff

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 135

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[nʊpsɛθoʊn] n. toe

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. dwarf (South dialect)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. unidentified species

Example: Fresh leaves: special Kastom ceremony used to treat severe abdominal pain during pregnancy

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

n. Grewia inmac

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. unidentified species

Example: Fresh leaves: special Kastom ceremony used to treat severe abdominal pain during pregnancy

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

n. garden

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 153

n. three days ago; three days hence

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141