Aneityum

[aɣes noraŋitei] phr. sing a song

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. remove skin of coconut using a stick

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to fish (in the deep sea)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. white (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to go up, or go east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to come up, or come east

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to open, as leaf; to expand

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

conj. and

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

conj. and

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

adj. black

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

v. to prepare pandanus leaves for making mats or baskets

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.a. to ascend, to go up

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

v.n. to go ashore, to go from sea, to arise or overflow, as sea over land.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

v. run

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[et aʤuʤaj an ouʤeiko] phr. he went up there

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

phr. the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

adj. happy

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3612)

Example: 1. Edible fruits when ripe and turn black – some sweet and some not – eat sweet ones. 2. Timber, firewood.

Scientific name: Syzygium clusiifolium, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 4 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4928)

Example: The leaves are used for compost in the taro patch. Dig a hole, line it with the leaves of this species, cove with earth and plant taro. The leaves of this species are used to cover earth ovens.

Scientific name: Geniostoma rupestre, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #19)

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.

Scientific name: Sophora tomentosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3647)

Example: 1. The straight poles of this plant are sharpened and used to plant kava, and only for kava. Not used for planting other crops. 2. Special for catching eels in fresh water, poke stick with leaves into hole where eel lives and they don’t like it so they come out and you catch them, by cutting with knife.

Scientific name: Maoutia diversifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[inhapli kuri] n. puppy (lit. small dog)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[inhɛlɛk] n. my penis

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. liana climbing up a Syzygium tree into the canopy, growing at edge of dense forest near garden area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3637)

Example: Rope is made from the inner bark of this plant. Use the rope immediately after it is stripped from the bark, there is no need to treat it with heat as is the case with other plants. Alternatively, the coil of bark rope can be kept in fresh water where it will stay soft until needed. Medicine for women when sick with a headache from the spirit sea snake, or sea god, or sea spirit that makes people sick. Men use it to help with toochaches. Women use it to help with backpain, stomache pain, or any other pain. Must pound two leaves taken from the top of the plant and combine with incespiv. Rosalina Nijae said it was mostly used by men so did not know how to use it well. Walking in bush and become thirsty, cut vine on 1 side and drink. Seeds made into foot bracelets for men for Kastom dances and make all sorts of different sounds. In some places taboo to cut large one as the large ones embody the snake spirit.

Scientific name: Entada phaseoloides, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the cold season; winter

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 87

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Coral hind, coral grouper (deep sea)

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

Scientific name: Cephalopholis miniata via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. large leaf

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Humphead wrasse

Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Cheilinus undulatus via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. tree, 12-14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3640)

Example: The seeds of this species are eaten, the fruits are cracked open and the seeds removed. However, perhaps of 10 fruits, maybe only 3 have seeds for eating. The flowers are known to have a very pleasant fragrance.

Scientific name: Terminalia sepicana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. terrestrial plant and epiphyte at base of trees, growing in cloud forest in valley between inrerow and adjacent summit. Inflorescences pale yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3278)

Scientific name: Collospermum montanum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[indi] n. excrement (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. well branched tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4025)

Example: 1. Hardwood is used to make a fishing spear. Wire is fashioned at the point to make a spear head. 2. Young plants are used to fasten coconut leaves to the rafters, in the thatching process.

Scientific name: Arytera brackenridgei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the seven stars; the children of Kumnyumoi

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[maja] phr. yes

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. cloth (related to nelmai)

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nahanemek] n. kind of breadfruit, old name for "naho"

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. young vine, still erect (1 m tall) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3551)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used as a soap. People collect the leaves and mash them and dip in fresh water and use the water to wash their bodies.

Scientific name: Colubrina asiatica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. thorn

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 193

n. tree, 8-10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4017)

Example: 1. Aerial roots have a natural curve that allows them to be used as a clothing hanger. The outer bark is peeled and dried all day in the sun, before the roots are used. 2. Leaves are used to help remove fish bones lodged in one’s throat. When bones are stuck in one’s throat, then you apply young leaves to the outside of the throat. Apply once and leave until the bones are removed.

Scientific name: Myristica fatua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1 m,flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4893)

Example: To make rope, cut the stems, tie together in a bundle and place in the sea. Cover the bundle with rocks for about a week, then take it out, wash it, dry in the sun until the fibers bleach white and use to make grass skirts. This is the process of retting. When the cyclone season is finished, the plant has flowers and fruits--in May through July--this means no danger of cyclones.

Scientific name: Urena lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. epiphytic liana climbing up main trunk of garcinia pseudoguttifera, growing in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4014)

Scientific name: Freycinetia impavida, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. epiphytic liana climbing up several canopy trees, growing on slope in primary forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4023)

Example: 1. The roots of this plant are used to make "Nopoy"--a traditional trap used to catch fish and lobster. The outer bark of the roots are removed and sun-dried. The roots are then split into several pieces and they are woven in an open fashion similar to a "noporapora"--a type of market basket fashioned from coconut leaflets.

Scientific name: Freycinetia impavida, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3553)

Example: 1. A stimulant plant. If a person is going to their garden early in the morning before the sun come up, break 2 top young leaves and chew and swallow the liquid, spitting out the fiber. This makes the person able to work harder and not feel tired while in the fields. It was noted that "a person can do the work of many people if they chew this." 2. The leaves are used for fertilizer for taro--put a bunch of leaves in a hole were taro is to be planted as a compost/antibiotic. This practice is said to kill all of the bad organisms such as bacttively impact the health of the taro plant. 3. This one collected from coastal area, ?? one collected in forest area. People take 4 leaves, chew leaves, swallow juice, gives energy to work hard the entire day. For fishing, take lots of ripe fruits and put in pocket, you will be able to catch a lot of fish. It brings good fortune when fishing. Roots – take one root, wash where a woman is giving birth to a newborn baby, give a drop of the juice from the root to clear the mucus in the throat.

Scientific name: Scaevola taccada, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nanaθ] n. shrub, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3455)

Example: Fertilizer, take fresh leaves and put in area where plant taro.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nawʊnalak] n. calf muscle

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dwarf cloud-forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3268)

Example: For performing a weather magic ritual to produce fog, this plant is fermented along with another plant (nirid u numu) in a hole in a sacred stone (called "Naemoso") at a secret location on Aneityum.

Scientific name: Trichomanes, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[narasɛn natimi] n. skin (human)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. stone wall for building a garden

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. lightning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3531)

Example: 1. For a child around 1 year of age, take the inside bark, mash it, boil in hot warter and then use it to wash the child. This will ensure that the child will grow strong and make them able to crawl fast. 2. If a woman who is one month pregnant would like to have a baby, she is given 4 of the tips of the branches to chew and swallow everything before breakfast 1x only. 3. For fishing, take 4 leaves, hold top side up, tear right half of leaves off, keep left side, roll it up and put with fishing gear to have good luck when fishing in the deep sea beyond the reef.

Scientific name: Ficus glandifera, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. fern. Growing in a village back path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #28)

Example: 1. To cure when the anus falls out - Pound together 1 braches worth of inpalcapnesgin leaves and of both inloptiri (2-4 leaves, any age), also take the inner bark of nekeaitimi and nakhe. Put this into your hand, or another leaf and give it to the person to use it. This should be applied to the anus whenever the anus comes out. USed to use a clam shell to extract the bark but not anymore.

Scientific name: Angiopteris evecta, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a large bat; the flying fox

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. coconuts used for sea fermentation

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 8-9 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3655)

Example: If the preferred banana leaves are not available to wrap food for cooking, then use young leaves of this species and tie taro and fish for cooking. Take 4-5 leaves and wrap the food with the leaves. Tie a rope around the food and tie them all together using any strong vine. They can then be cooked over an open fire.

Scientific name: Dillenia neoebudica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. brow of a hill

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 131

n. herb to 1 m, flowers white with red bracts (collection: Michael J. Balick #4912)

Example: To treat high blood pressure. Take a half liter of water, mix a handful of roots in it, boil, drink one cup 3 times daily, warm, for three days. This is to treat high blood pressure when diagnosed in the clinic. The leaf is woven for grass skirts--dry in sun, weave into skirts.

Scientific name: Zingiber zerumbet, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. ray of light in the morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 177

n. a fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. epiphytic fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4043)

Scientific name: Microsorum grossum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[niŋa] n. shell

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. a sago palm

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a native pudding made with yam and coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[nohopɣop] n. Glossy swiftlet

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

Scientific name: Collocalia esculenta, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. vine to 2 m, flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4939)

Example: Use this to make rope. Cut the vine, heat over a low fire, when it is still warm, tie posts of the house--the heat makes the cord very strong and tying it while in that condition makes it really strong.

Scientific name: Melodinus neoebudicus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. liana, climbing on Garcinia tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3585)

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 tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. terrestrial fern, 0. 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3577)

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: Titiya Lalep

n. unidentified species

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

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

[oʔo] phr. no (traditional)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[ovan] adj. strong

Speaker: Kirk 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. in front

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117