Aneityum

[aθ tasvi] v. break strong things (like a branch, etc.)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go down

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v.a. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[ala] num. five

Speaker: David Nasauman

adj. backwards

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[apuat pam] n. just dark now, black

Speaker: David Nasauman

[ak͡pok anʤap̚] phr. we go out into the sea

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. sharp

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. red (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

[ditij nadimi] phr. one man (there is)

Speaker: David Nasauman

v. respect

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. full moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

wind blowing

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to go

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

adj. outside

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb, growing in partially drained marsh. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3596)

Scientific name: Ipomoea aquatica, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Macaranga tanarius (RPV #42)

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane; also "nalgaij"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a runner, the fruit of which is round like a cake

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

[inhosumeljaŋ] n. Black-tailed whistler

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

Scientific name: Pachycephala melanura, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a foreign convolvulus

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. gaiac (RPV #43)

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[inmeʧihap̃] n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Garcinia sp.

Example: leaf chewed against liver pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 441

n. a horse-chestnut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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 fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. shrub to 2 m tall, flowers yellow. Growing along coast. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4959)

Example: The young leaves are boiled for 15 minutes and coconut milk is added to the warm leaves and this is eaten--the coconut milk it said to make the leaves taste better. New mothers are given this food as it helps them to produce more milk for their babies. As a medicine, take the young shoots, peel the outer skin off of these, macerate a 3’ piece of young stem in a small amount of water, take out the fiber, put the juice in a tablespoon and feed it to a baby that is old enough to swallow water (not a new born) when they have diarrhea. Take once daily for 2-3 days. This remedy is used for babies up to one year of age. For older babies that have diarrhea, peel the young 3’ stems and give them to the child to chew (spit out the fiber) and have them drink a small amount of water after chewing. This treatment is once daily, for 2-3 days until the diarrhea stops. For adults, take 4 young stems about 3’ long and chew these and swallow the juice, twice daily (morning and afternoon) and use until the diarrhea stops. When this plant is in flower, hunters know that the turtle has more fat and can be harvested--a calendar plant.

Scientific name: Melanthera biflora, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. back of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 0. 75 m, fruits brown. Growing in cultivated area near village. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5012)

Example: Children use this fruit as a rattle. When parents go to the gardens or fields with their children, they collect the pods for the children to use as a rattle and amuse themselves. Unspecified medicinal use.

Scientific name: Senna occidentalis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. sterile herb, juvenile form (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3438)

Example: This plant is used as a starchy food. To prepare it, grarte it into a dish, wash with water, the starch settles to the bottom, pour off the water, dry the starch in the sun and make it into a powder. The starch can be cooked with coconut milk and eaten.

Scientific name: Tacca leontopetaloides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. low-growing, creeping vine growing in grassy area just inland from coastal strand. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3223)

Example: A "calendar plant". When the flowers open, the birds are said to be fat and good for hunting.

Scientific name: Dendrobium mohlianum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[naθia] n. kind of breadfruit (thin one, sometimes cooked with coconut milk)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. the middle of the forenoon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3576)

Example: This plant is used to make a temporary house along the coast. It is considered "namba one" for shade. It is also an unspecified "message plant.

Scientific name: Leucaena forsteri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nagag ~ naɣag] n. Sandpiper

Example: Photo by Frans Vandewalle, License: CC BY-NC 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Tringa hypoleucos, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[naŋɛsɛŋa atŋa] n. walking sun symbol

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[naha] n. plant for wrapping fish, lily plant that grows in coastal areas

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. isle, island

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 160

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphyte on fallen tree, growing in disturbed forest. Fruit. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3474)

Example: When children feel weak, this is a good medicine for them. Squeeze the leaves and give the child (3-5 years of age) one tea spoon of the juice and it is said to make them strong again.

Scientific name: Appendicula reflexa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. east

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 146

n. the north-east wind; also "nathau an jap"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. reed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 177

n. herb. Swamp areas. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #8)

Example: 1. Cervical pain and to return it to normal size - Get a handful of Naurakiti and boil it in a pot of water. This can also be done by rubbing the handful of leaves together and squeezing out the juice into the boiling water but the leaves do not go inside. Sit in this for 2 hours or until cold for 1 a day for a week. 2. Medicine: leaf juice put on fresh cut to stop bleeding. Stomachache, headache – use 1 handful of leaves, squeeze these, put in cup, put in some water and drink it 1x day. 3. Women menstruation that will not stop, take 1 handful of leaves into a cup of water and drink 1x day for 3 days. 4. If a person’s joints are sore, take a handful of leaves, crush them and rub on the sore joints. Some people don’t like to use it internally as it can make some people sick, especially small children, but others say it is OK to use.

Scientific name: Ageratum conyzoides, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[nawuraniŋ] phr. thank you

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. understory tree, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4050)

Scientific name: Schefflera neoebudica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1. 75 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3643)

Example: Can be used to make a love potion. Is bad for married people.

Scientific name: Desmodium ormocarpoides, 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

[nefat̚po] n. November (lit. relax, don’t have to work)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tares

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 192

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 25 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4903)

Example: Wood is used to make canoe as it is very light and lasts in salt water. As a styptic to stop bleeding, when a person gets a cut in the bush, scrape off outer bark and use inner bark scrapings to put on cut. Stops bleeding, leave on for one day.

Scientific name: Hernandia moerenhoutiana, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. cliff

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 135

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 bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the canoe (constellation), or Orion

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. before daylight

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. epiphyte on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, pendant (1.7 m long) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3648)

Example: Name means pile of fish. To protect a conservation area and restock it, collect pile of stems and leaves and put in a pool of water with stones on it. Fish will come and breed and area will have more fish. Fish in general

Scientific name: Dendrobium involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. edible fern

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niɣɛn nʊmʊ] n. fish tail

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[niŋeɣ] n. Mystery island (western, longer part)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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 shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. laplap leaf (RPV #154)

Scientific name: Heliconia indica var. austrocaledonica, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3627)

Scientific name: Polyalthia nitidissima, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. frankincense

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

[niŋa] n. shell

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[nohoɪjam] n. fan of woven pandanus leaf

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. large well branched tree, 18-20 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3216)

Example: 1. The trunk of this plant is used to make canoes. 2. It is also a good timber for the inside part of houses. 3. Mix the sap from the stem with other unspecified leaves and rub them into dreadlocks. 4. To attract shells in the sea, scrape a branch and drop in the sea where shells are attracted to the branches and they can be collected for sale to the Island’s visitors. 5. Seeds are used to make beautiful black necklaces. Said to be a lot of work as it is difficult to remove the seed. Rub with sandpaper or soak in water and then make the hole in the seed. 6. Fruit is a children’s toy – used as a whistle to make a nice sound.

Scientific name: Hernandia nymphaeifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. pufferfish

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nopwañ] n. Far Eastern Curlew

Example: Photo by Graham Winterflood, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Numenius madagascariensis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. cliff

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 135

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4762)

Scientific name: Melodinus glaber, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree, 10-12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4027)

Example: 1. Used to build houses. The wood of this tree is considered very hard and heavy, so it is used as posts in traditional houses.

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nupʧin hoθaiŋ] n. star in the west

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nʊpsiʤman] n. finger (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. Grewia inmac

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

[oŋmraŋ] n. old (man)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[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

adv. near; inshore; near the shore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121