Aneityum

[ahe] v. prepare soil for taro planting, by removing the topsoil, putting down special leaves, and replacing topsoil

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. make

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[aj] v. fly

v. to open, as leaf; to expand

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to go seaward

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.a. to ascend, to go up

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 62

[aɲak im an] phr. me and him

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. tide flowing a little, begun to flow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 72

n. the clear part of the moon when first seen

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

phr. the flowers are come out.

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

v.n. to come

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

adj. stringy, watery, as taro; also "ede"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

n. green peppers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. basket of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4033)

Scientific name: Planchonella, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Bluelined squirrelfish, Tahitian squirrelfish

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

Scientific name: Sargocentron tiere via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3548)

Example: The forked stick of this plant is used as a pole to hold the outrigger on a canoe. Children blow the small fruits of this plant through the hollow petioles of the papaya leaf or a hollowed bamboo stem as a game. As an aphrodisiac, two handfuls of the leaves of this species are boiled in fresh water and men drink these for 7 days. The next week they will be "strong." People cannot have sex while they are drinking this remedy, but then the next week when they have finished the treatment, they will be "very strong."

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[inlolan niʧinandan] n. forehead

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3686)

Example: This tree is a source of sawn timber.

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of palm

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. today

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 88

n. shrub. Found along village pathways and in gardens. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #15)

Example: 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.

Scientific name: Cordyline terminalis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. food or seed of all sorts; the juice of any plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 182

n. vine running many meters long over clay soil and grassy area on hillside where the triangular wooden signs are that used to be a landmark for ships coming to the island. Sterile. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5008)

Example: This plant is the focus of an important legend on Aneityum. When the missionary John Geddie and colleaguse first arrived on the island in July of 1848, the Chiefs welcomed them but some of the people did not like the idea. So these people sent a basket containing a peeled coconut and a fish (nopom) to the Chief in Umej to ask him to support the idea of getting rid of the missionary that the Chief of Analcahuat had welcomed. If the Chief of Umej were to eat the fish and coconut meat, it would mean that he agreed with the opposition. The Chief refused to eat the food in the basket and he told the people a parable involving this plant. A person cannot find the tip of the stem or the end of the root in the ground. So if they were to eliminate the missionary, his activity would continue because of God’s power. As it is with this plant, it will continue to grow and flourish if you cut it or try to dig up the root. So he sent a message about this plant to the people in Analcahuat who objected to the presence of the missionary stating this parable. Those people in Analcauhat held a secret meeting and they chose a powerful and strong person to kill the missionary. During the night the person went to the missionary’s house while he was in the toilet. Returning to the house, the missionary found the person in his doorway, and that person lifted his club to strike the missionary. But at that point the attacker’s hands suddenly had no power and the club fell from his hands, and he fell over. The missionary told him to get up, and not come back. After that experience, the people of Umej realized that God’s power was great and they could not go against it. The Chief took the peeled coconut that was sent him and covered it with the skin of another coconut and planted it instead of eating it. This coconut grew and the missionary’s work continued to grow on the island. So this vine played an important role in communicating the power of God to the people of Aneityum.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

adv. a long time ago

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. Homalium aneityense (RPV #105)

Scientific name: Homalium aneityense, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the cool of the evening

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 91

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3497)

Example: The milky sap of this plant is poisonous. Fruit is very poisonous! If a child accidentally consumes this sap it causes them to vomit and they must drink water. Leaves are part of an unspecified spirit medicine.

Scientific name: Cerbera manghas, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[kidibop] n. Grey fantail

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

Scientific name: Rhipidura fuliginosa, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

v.n. to walk abroad

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. half tide when rising

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 93

n. tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3710)

Example: The nut of this tree is edible. Crack open the fruit and eat the seed raw. It can also be used to plug holes in a canoe.

Scientific name: Canarium harveyi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[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. terrestrial plant, 60 cm tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3498)

Example: Children take a shoot of this plant and make a whistle from it. However, when children do this, they are told not to, as it will attract the rains, or a snake, that will hear the noise and come to the person. This is a folk belief. The base of the shoot of this plant is chewed and applied to fresh cuts as a styptic. Pull out top growth of plant that has not flowered and blow on it like a whistle. Ancestors used this as a whistle to attract snakes for edible – not today. Name means “balls or heaps of snakes” refer to their attraction.

Scientific name: Dianella ensifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1 m, flowers yellow. Growing at edge of cultivated field. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4956)

Scientific name: Triumfetta procumbens, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree to 10 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4929)

Example: The wood is hard and used as a spade to dig holes for planting taro. Make spears for fishing out of the stems, either by sharpening them or putting wires on the end.

Scientific name: Xylosma guillauminii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nawʊn niʧman] n. arm

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. epiphyte on fallen tree branch with abundant mosses, growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3291)

Scientific name: Davallia pusilla, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4764)

Scientific name: Tarenna, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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

[narasɛn] n. skin

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. vine to 3 m, sori brown. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4930)

Example: Take a handful of the vine, twist it into rope with many stems of the vine, and use it to tie bundles of sugar cane. It can also be used to tie wild canes (Miscanthus) to the roof of the house. Take a handful of the vine, twist it into rope with many stems of the vine, and use it to tie bundles of sugar cane. It can also be used to tie wild canes (Miscanthus) to the roof of the house.

Scientific name: Lygodium reticulatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[nareramɣei] n. kind of banana (fat)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb, growing on roadside in open disturbed area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3607)

Scientific name: Ischaemum muticum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. herb, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3280)

Example: A "message plant". In ancient times, this plant was used for communicating. If you go to a person who composes songs and give this to them, they will know to compose a song for you. Name means "flowers on the ground".

Scientific name: Isachne comata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3444)

Scientific name: Ficus scabra, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

Scientific name: Schoenoplectus validus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4901)

Scientific name: Plerandra tannae, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. before daylight

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

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. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. forest

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. the stump of a tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3517)

Example: 1. The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. 2. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time. 3. The wood is strong and used to carve paddles for the canoe. 4. It is also grown and used for firewood. 5. Firewood, (6) use as local plate. 7. On west side of island, take old coconut, fill with water, put lead into hole on end, take out and give to baby to drink and it will help the baby talk.

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4779)

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. Honeycomb grouper

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

Scientific name: Epinephelus merra via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. coconut leaf

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[niseuɣ] n. walking stick, staff

Speaker: David Nasauman

[nitaʔtel] n. stool

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Ficus adenosperma

Example: Stalk: chewed, agaist headache

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

[nowataŋ] n. sky

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. ripe bananas

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nohos isaina] n. kind of banana (sp. from China)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

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. a season

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 181

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. 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. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3571)

Example: As a medicinal plant, take the ripe fruits, put it in a dish or bucket, squeeze out the juice and save it for drinking. The dose is 1 tablespoon, morning and afternoon if a person feels tired. This treatment will help give energy to a person. The leaves are placed on the bottom and top of an earth oven to help cook the food. The leaves are also used to wrap shellfish for cooking over a fire. When chewing kava root to prepare it for drinking, put the piles of chewed root on top of this leaf to keep it clean. Some men cut the green fruit in half and rub it against the skin of their face after shaving to protect the skin from rashes and irritations.

Scientific name: Morinda citrifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Orangespot surgeonfish

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

Scientific name: Acanthurus olivaceus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4749)

Scientific name: Dysoxylum bijugum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. the south-south-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. Grewia inmac

Example: Leaf: infusion taken internally against pain

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. a small red berry used as beads

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

n. an open blossom

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 108

adj. made of branches

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

adv. after

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi