Aneityum

n. Grewia inmac

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

white

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. white (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go though, as the land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

v.a. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. go out

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to emit sound from a bottle or coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

v. run

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. unripe

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 196

[θawarivi] n. Silver Gull

Example: Photo by Bernard Spragg, License: Public domain via Flickr

Scientific name: Larus novaehollandiae, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

v. to come out, as banana fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

v. wander, walk around

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. healed, applied to wounds; ripe; yellow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

[et at̚pu an] phr. he is hiding

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

phr. on that side

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. native rose; rosa chinensis; the hibiscus; also "inpul"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85, 88

[inɣaɣen] n. kava (traditional)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. low tree. Found along the coast. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #11)

Example: 1. To speed up delivery and reduce painin labor - Take a piece of stem from a small branch and take the skin and outter bark off. Grate out the inner part with water and squeeze out juice into a cup for the woman to drink. 2. To help with pain/difficulty giving birth - Take even numbers of inhoa top leaves (Must have a partner so the lone top is not vulnerable to bad spirits - in all Rosita’s medicines, she always uses partners like this). Using 2, 4, or 6, of these leaves chew them and swallow the whole thing. This is slippery. Take at the first pain.

Scientific name: Hibiscus tiliaceus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. taro patch

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. bush land; uncultivated land

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. epiphyte on fallen log on ground, growing in dense rain forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4012)

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bird

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 plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[intas] language

n. Whitespotted surgeonfish, northern dialect

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

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

n. sweet potato

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 173

n. Bluespine unicornfish

Example: Photo by Ross D. Robertson / Shorefishes of the Neotropics, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Naso unicornis via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb, growing along the river at the edge of secondary forest. Stems pale green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3642)

Example: As a local toothbrush, take two pieces of stems, bend them and use to brush teeth with water. This plant acts like sandpaper to clean the teeth. Can also be used to brush pots.

Scientific name: Equisetum debile, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[inʧataheɪjn] n. hen

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. sandalwood (RPV #110)

Scientific name: Santalum austrocaledonicum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. banyan tree (RPV #74)

Scientific name: Ficus glandifera, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

[naθran ɣap] n. smoke

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. small turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[naɣai milmat] n. before sun comes up, just light enough to see green toward the east looking down from a hill, "green place"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. half-tide, ebbing

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 155

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3613)

Example: Used to make small poles for house rafters.

Scientific name: Myristica fatua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4860)

Example: This is a common tree. If a person travels from one district to another on Aneityum, and you see the tree planted in that other district, a person knows they are free to come into this area. When the leaves are yellow, as in a young tree, the local name is nala’gay. If a person carries a branch of this tree into a village it is a symbol that the person is coming with peaceful intentions.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. epiphyte on tree trunks, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4103)

Scientific name: Spiridens sp., Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 40 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4859)

Example: The wood of this tree is good for carving. The fibers go in one direction so it is easier to carve, for example, to make a kava bowl. In general, this is the species used to make kava bowls. If your kava is not strong, then making it in this bowl will make it stronger. The kind of bowl made from this tree has a handle on each side of the bowl and it is held with 2 hands. The place name Anumwmamlau is named after this tree. There are said to be two types of this tree--one with all green leaves (this specimen) and one with white and green leaves. If a person is going to a Tabu place and is concerned about spirits, they should take a handful of these leaves and wash the body all over with it--take a swim (bath) with it. Then the person can go to the Tabu place without risk. There are other unspecified spiritual uses of this tree. The second part of this local name "elwa" refers to the variegation of the leaves.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus ciccoides, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub. Growing near the beach. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #4)

Example: 1. Dried branches from this plant can be used to roast vegetable crops that women eat if they have problems becoming pregnant. 2. Firewood, burns well. 3. Some people will eat the green fruit for protection against black magic. Eat 5 fruits for this. Eat it only once – will last for a year.

Scientific name: Scaevola taccada, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a mound or hillock for yams

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. epiphytic fern, fallen to ground (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3494)

Example: When a dog is poisoned by cuguatera from eating a fish, the root of this species is collected, cleaned and a handful is boiled in 1-2 cups of water and given to the dog to drink. This treatment should be done 3x daily, in the morning, around noon and during the evening meal for as long as the dog is sick.

Scientific name: Aglaomorpha rigidula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers greenish-white. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4932)

Example: The roots are used to treat toothache. Take the roots, strip off the outer bark and chew the root. Stops pain from the toothache. Use 3x daily until the pain is gone.

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n a plant, with upright clumping. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #25)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4young leaves of nafanu and mash and squueze 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

Scientific name: Bambusa vulgaris

n. a bulrush; a flag

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. a white coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

Scientific name: Schefflera neoebudica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Metrosideros collina (RPV #81)

Scientific name: Metrosideros collina, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Anchor tuskfish, Orange-dotted tuskfish

Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein, iNaturalist: CC BY-A-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Choerodon anchorago via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. cloth of coconut tree; anything useless. Ek idivaig nenis ainyak, I am quite useless

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nepiŋ upni] phr. Good night. (greeting after sundown, last time to walk on the beach)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. orange (fruit)

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

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

[niaŋa ra ʊpsiʤman] n. fingernails (many)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nijom araheθ] n. lit. "round house"

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. vine climbing up a macaranga tree, growing in open disturbed area. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3588)

Example: 1. To build a cyclone house, take the vine of this species to tie pieces of the house. To prepare the vine for use as rope, collect many feet of it, put it in a fire, roll it in a figure 8, wait until it softens and then use for tying. This vine is hard and needs to be heated to a high temperature in the fire to make it soft; the person preparing this must use gloves to tie it to the posts and rafters while it is still warm. When it cools, it is very strong. Rope made from this vine will last a long time--perhaps 10-15 years. It can also be used to make a regular house. However, it is not as strong as GMP #3589. 2. For men who want rasta in hair, take a few leaves and dry them, burn with some other plants to rub on the rasta and keeps it healthy, keep from splitting.

Scientific name: Geitonoplesium cymosum, 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. epiphyte. Growing on tree in village area. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #1)

Example: Makes period normal again. Take three young leaves from the very tops of the plant and pound and squeeze out the juice from the leaves. Mix with small amount of water to help juice come out. Drink this 3 times a day for 3 days. Pig food – feed the leaves to the pigs. Leaves used to wrap around Cyrtosperma merkusii to cook for several days—this taro needs a lot of cooking. So this leaf is particularly used for that purpose because it is very watery. Will keep the taro from becoming too burned or dry – it will cook soft after a few days – keep tasting it until the calcium oxalate sensation is gone. Check it 3 times – cook, open, taste and it should be good. Wrap fish and put directly on charcoal fire. – also cover top rocks in earth oven.

Scientific name: Epipremnum pinnatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. another name for "masoa"; arrowroot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. Wahoo

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

Scientific name: Acanthocybium solandri via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. terrestrial fern, growing in primary rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3614)

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."

Scientific name: Schizaea dichotoma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. terrestrial fern, growing along ridge in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4121)

Example: 1. The name means "fish gill". When one acquires a culture-bound illness, caused by possesion of the sea devil, this plant is used to prepare a remedy. Further information about the illness and remedy withheld.

Scientific name: Schizaea dichotoma, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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 sea snake

[nitaʔtel] n. stool

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. river

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 179

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of bird

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. cycad to 3 m tall, 25 cm dbh (collection: Michael J. Balick #5010)

Example: In the past there were no toys for the children, so people made toys from the seed of this plant. They peeled the fruit, took the seed, removed the inside, punched one hole on each side, put a string through each of the holes and twisted the string to spin the seed such that it would make a whistling sound as the fruit spun faster and faster. On Palm Sunday, people use this leaf in Church. People plant this cycad around their homes and use it as an ornamental. Some people believe that having this plant around their homes will keep the bad spirits away.

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. basket used to carry sweet potatoes

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. meadow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 165

n. coconut leaves in the middle of the cluster, neither old nor new

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. the early morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. a kind of bulbous root

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. cultivated anthropogenic landscape (lawn and planted trees). (collection: Keith E. Clancy #6655)

Scientific name: Carpoxylon macrospermum

prep. down there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adv. downwards or westwards

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

n. Great barracuda

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

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

adj. sour, applied to the water in coconuts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

adj. made of branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111