Aneityum

affix in this direction; here; this

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

v. to weave, to plait

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to collect raw food, as sugarcane taro, for a feast of uncooked food

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to go seaward

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v. to fish (with a net)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to go ashore

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 66

[ek amʤeŋina] phr. I am sleeping

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to blossom or bring forth flowers; "alwa", to bud or bring forth leaves. "Et elwa nieg": the reeds blossom. "Et elwa intisiaicai": the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v. trees; fruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. "good" (domesticated) kava (RPV #133)

Scientific name: Macropiper latifolium, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. red (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[inhuleɣ] n. Fan tailed gerygone

Example: Photo by Roger Le Guen, License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Gerygone flavolateralis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4754)

Scientific name: Passiflora suberosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a plantation

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. shrub to 1 m, fruits green. Secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4897)

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: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 2 m tall,dbh 40 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4877)

Example: To treat a local disease (that causes pain in the stomach) called "Namya," peel off the outer bark, collect 1 handful of inner bark, boil with 1/2 liter of water, drink warm, 3 cups/daily, for 3 days. At that point the person will feel that "the weakness is no longer in the body." After 3 days of treatment the pain in the stomach goes away. Wood is used for posts; leaves for compost for holes that people will plant taro in--line the bottom of the hole before placing soil and taro in it.

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3692)

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a comet

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[inpah] n. leaves worn around head

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. fallen tree, growing in coastal vegetation along strand. Flowers orange. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3554)

Example: The stems are used for house posts as they are very strong.

Scientific name: Cordia subcordata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[indi] n. excrement (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. prostrate herb growing on ground in open or partly shaded area next to banana tree. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3207)

Example: 1. The plant is named after a "rat"s ear.’ Eat 4 fresh leaves every morning to clear the brain and help remember things. 2. This plant is an indicator of rich soil--a good place for growing vegetables. 3. Very useful plant, food and medicine. Name means rat ear. Take 5 leaves, wrap in INROWOD (Cordyline fruticosa) and cook for 15 minutes, remove it hot (be sure you do not burn it) squeeze out 1 tablespoon and give to baby to drink to treat a flu. 1x morning for 5 days.

Scientific name: Centella asiatica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #5)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. For a baby that is not doing well, as with malnourished, take 4-5 leaves, put in warm water and wash baby – 1x day for 3 days. 6. Use to make temporary house.

Scientific name: Trema cannabina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[inwerijweɪ] n. boards (pl)

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3683)

Example: Ornamental. Some have red flowers. Red birds drink the juice. Normally flowers July, August, September.

Scientific name: Metrosideros collina, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 15 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4914)

Example: Use the leaves to make compost to be placed at the bottom of the hole where taro is to be planted, cover with soil and grow the taro in that hole. Serves as a fertilizer.

Scientific name: Pittosporum campbellii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Elattostachys falcata (RPV #112)

Scientific name: Elattostachys falcata, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. pungent scrub, island musk (RPV #101)

Scientific name: Evodia hortensis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the afternoon; also "jupjupki"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

[kanaθ] n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 0. 5-0. 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3565)

Example: The leaves are used to feed livestock. The large timbers are used for house posts, and the small wood for other types of posts such as for fences.

Scientific name: Leucaena leucocephala, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

adj. ripe, as taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

adj. ripe, as fruit; healed, as a wound; also "mah"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. an astronomy term; no definition given

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a thistle

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

[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. shrub to 1 m tall, frits green. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4880)

Example: Stems are used to produce cyclone houses--secure wild cane (Miscanthus) on the roof of the house. Fold cane in half over the stem of this plant and then lay it on the roof. Makes layers that resist the wind. The stem of this plant can be sharpened to make a fishing spear, or used as the shaft and a few wires are attached to the end.

Scientific name: Tarenna efatensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. vine to 3-4 m, aerial tubers brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4872)

Example: Normally these fruits are considered poisonous. But, people have learned to peel off the skin of the fruits, put the peeled fruits in a conical basked and place a bamboo tube that is dripping water over it to wash the basket of fruits for 3-5 days. This is said to leach out the poison and the end result is similar in consistency to cheese. Wrap this up with leaves and put it in an earth oven to cook. This plant is eaten as a "starvation food" only, consumed in times of drought and famine.

Scientific name: Dioscorea bulbifera, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4771)

Scientific name: Dianella ensifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

[napat apeiŋ] n. black cloud

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. near morning

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

n. Phrynium giganteum (RPV #158)

Scientific name: Phrynium giganteum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb, growing in partially drained marsh. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3593)

Scientific name: Schoenoplectus validus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

Scientific name: Schefflera neoebudica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3271)

Example: Used as a leaf compost for planting taro, layered on the bottom of the hole and covering the taro as well.

Scientific name: Melicope triphylla, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. tares

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 192

n. Bluespot mullet

Example: Photo by Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Moolgarda seheli via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. shrub to 2 m, flowers pale green-white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4899)

Example: If a person chews the branches of this tree, their teeth will not grow or will fall out. Common name refers to "bad teeth.

Scientific name: Psychotria aneityensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #6)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead. 3. To cure headaches - Someone other than the woman must prepare this. Break the top branch of netethae and remove leaves for use. Combine with the top leaves of the top branch of nelmaha. Chew the leaves and drink the juice. Do this when the sun is setting on the horizon. The woman gives the leftover fibers to the person who prepared the medicine and that person goes and throws the fibers in the direction of the setting sun. 4. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 5. Used to fight against black magic in an unspecified way. 6. Roll leaf and put in pocket for protection when walk in a new area. 7. Message plant if a land dispute – if a person puts this stem or leaf in another’s garden whom they are angry with it means go away!! 8. To treat sick people, especially who fall ill from black magic to save their life. Symptoms vary, for example a person with small boils over body,* a person chews the leaf and spits it on the sick person, 1x and then puts the branch with leaves near the sick person when they sleep – 3x (1x day) branch is ca. 25cm long. (*headache, severe)

Scientific name: Ficus littoralis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb to 1 m, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4892)

Example: If a person is coming to a "new" village, e.g. not their own, and they have a branch in their hand, it means that they are coming in peace and not trying to harm anyone else in the new village. Or if they are asking for something that might be found in the new village, they hold the branch of this species and pass it to a person from that village so they will accept you.

Scientific name: Sida cordifolia, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4792)

Scientific name: Excoecaria agallocha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3557)

Example: For treatment of a stomach ache, or if your stomach "complains", take very young stems, break off the leaves and chew the stems and swallow the juice. Use a 3-5 cm pieces of stems, chew, and then it clears your intestines and will make you go to the toilet.

Scientific name: Clerodendrum inerme, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub to 2 m ,fruits green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4884)

Example: When the new leaves form on this plant, people say that it is time to plant taro. The wood of the larger tree is good for posts.

Scientific name: Decaspermum neoebudicum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. shrub to small tree, growing in clumps among rocks in open area along river. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4064)

Example: 1. This plant is an indication of good soil. 2. Dry wood is used as a firewood.

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3507)

Example: The young leaves and fruits are edible; the fruits are eaten ripe. This species is used for firewood as well as house posts, but they don’t last as long as other types of wood so they are used in temporary structures. A sacred plant on Aneityum. Name means linkage between this world and the spirit world. Agriculture – you find this tree ?? it means that the land is fertile. Birds eat fruits; people burn the tree to release ash and fertilizer and grow their taro around it – it will give more food. Message plant – if someone puts a long brown on your door or in your garden, it means “why are you here?” Implies that you should go back to where you belong. You don’t belong in this place. For example instead of quarreling over land dispute, put the branch and it means that you should leave this place.

Scientific name: Ficus adenosperma, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

n. a plant like a banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. Spanish flag, stripey

Example: Photo by Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Lutjanus carponotatus via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[nijom araheθ] n. lit. "round house"

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. liana climbing on calophyllum trunk, growing along sandy beach. Leaves variegated. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4144)

Scientific name: Epipremnum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. shoots of plants of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. Hornstedtia sp.

Example: Subterranean part: cold maceration, taken internally against "cancer", diabetes, or as tonic

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

[niŋa] n. shell

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[niʧin neijaŋ] n. coconut shell

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. ripe bananas

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. fruit dove

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. small basket

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3506)

Example: 1. The leaves of this plant are used in a kastom ceremony; crush the leaves and put in a head garland or on an arm band to release a pleasant odor during a kastom dance. The name of the plant is stated in a kastom song. 2. The leaf is a component for making "love magic." Crush these leaves as well as other unspecified leaves in a person’s hand while stating the name of the person you wish to fall in love with you, and it is said that they will. 3. Message plant – There are special people who compose traditional song about the person or legends, history, so the person who wants the song gives the composer this plant with other unspecified plants and the composer will have a dream that night and spirits will give song and melody and compose a song. Song is for Kastom ceremony singing while dancing.

Scientific name: Murraya odorata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4881)

Example: The wood of this tree is used to make house-posts, it is strong. The leaves are used as a compost for the taro patch; line the hole with the leaves of this tree, then place soil over that and plant the taro. When the fruits are ripe, local people say that the hermit crabs are "fat" and ready to collect and eat. When a person is in the forest and there is no coconut fruit fiber to start a fire with, use a dry stick, shave it and use a match to start a pile of this tinder to make a good fire. The wood is said to be "oily." This gives it a nice aroma. To perfume coconut oil, drop the dry flowers in it--use 1 handful of dried flowers added to a pot of oil boiling on the fire while making it. Strain out flowers and the oil smells good. Flowers can also be added to the oil once it is bottled to perfume it.

Scientific name: Fagraea berteroana, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. the red star, the "hand" in the constellation Orion; also "necye"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[talpos] adj. very big

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.a. to take off sprouts of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

(?)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. a creeping plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 112