Aneityum

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adv. aforetime

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. black (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. cut

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. rest

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

v.n. go before

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 154

wind blowing

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[et atut] phr. is running

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. cut nut (RPV #58)

Scientific name: Barringtonia procera, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inɣap] adj. red (?)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4960)

Scientific name: Abutilon indicum, Speaker: Tony Keith

[iɲhoɣ] n. Honeyeater, black and red

Example: Photo by Lars Petersson, IBC1270200. Photo of Cardinal Myzomela Myzomela cardinalis at Makira (San Cristobal) Island, Solomon Archipelago. License: All rights reserved. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Myzomela cardinalis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. calabash

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. first fruits

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. stump of a tree; shaft of a candlestick

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 86

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. sea bird

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. herb to 1. 5 m tall, sterile. Growing in weedy patch behind buildings on edge of trail. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4986)

Example: People use the leaves of this plant to wrap lap-lap for cooking on the earth oven or when boiling foods. The leaves can also be used as serving plates and to cover the stones on the earth oven.

Scientific name: Heliconia indica, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. a horse-chestnut tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. good luck plant (RPV #14)

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the following day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 61

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in open (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3523)

Example: This is a "message plant." If a person puts the flower behind their ear and then stares out at you, or tosses the flower to you, then say yes and follow them, for example, to drink kava, or to go swimming. Or a man invites a woman to go somewhere with him. Alternatively, you can leave the flower on a table and this is also a message to go with a person. Leaves also used to wrap foods. Decorate yard around the house.

Scientific name: Spathoglottis pacifica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial orchid, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3708)

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vine to 1 m, flowers purple. (kudzu plant). (collection: Michael J. Balick #4920)

Example: Roast the tuber of this vine on an open fire for 20-40 minutes, peel off the skin and eat like cassava or taro. Chew it and drink the "juice" while spitting out the fiber. It grows wild, season of harvesting is in May. Very tasty food for people, considered "numba wan" food for this island.

Scientific name: Pueraria lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 10 m tall, dbh 50 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4908)

Example: Wood used for timber.

Scientific name: Burckella, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

[kidibop] n. Grey fantail

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

Scientific name: Rhipidura fuliginosa, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[kitlel] n. teapot (probably loanword from "kettle")

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

adj. ripe, as taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 92

[mataʊ] n. older brother

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Achyranthes aspera L.

Example: juice squeezed from leaves; taken internally against asthma and put into boils

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 439

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4069)

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree. Growing on the coast. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #23)

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. 2. Firewood, house post for bush house.

Scientific name: Guettarda speciosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of 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. pendent epiphyte, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4039)

Scientific name: Ophioderma pendula, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3646)

Example: The ripe fruits of this species smell very nice and people eat the inside part, which tastes similar to a banana. When fruit is ripe the outside is yellow and the inside is purple. The wood can be used for poles to make house rafters. When kids go fishing for shrimps they use the fruit to catch the shrimp by throwing the shrimp into the water which attracts the shrimp.

Scientific name: Garcinia pseudoguttifera, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[najsiom] n. bird nest

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3490)

Example: 1. The larger stems of this plant can be used to build houses, for rafters. 2. It is also a good source of firewood. 3. Ancestors, before go to chief’s canal and want to talk about a complicated issue – a person would cut a branch and bring it to the sea and tap the water surface and would say what he wants, ask that he would want that issue to be solved and that others would follow his ideas and then go back to the meeting place and take stick, keep wind at his back, moving stick in all directions and then he will convince the people of his ideas. This is done by the chief’s spokesman. Helps convince the opposition. Helps keep power in hands of parent(??) chief rather than subchiefs who might have other ideas.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3582)

Example: Firewood, timber good for bush houses. Calendar plant – when it is in flower, the old people know it is time to harvest root crops, like yam and other vine crops, in the wild, as yet unspecified. Local names = INYAC, NOMODEJ TAL, NOMODEJ WOU, NOU LELCEI… etc.

Scientific name: Weinmannia denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. shrub to 3 m tall, dbh 4 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4995)

Example: The flowers are cut and used in the house and the plant is grown as an ornamental around the house.

Scientific name: Euphorbia pulcherrima, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. shrub to 3 m, flowers yellow with red outer coverings (appearing red when closed) (collection: Michael J. Balick #4957)

Example: This plant is used to fertilize fields, especially by growing it in fields that have been used for other crops for a very long time. The seeds can be cooked when dry and hard, boiled in water, or eaten directly without preparation when green and soft.

Scientific name: Cajanus cajun, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. the north-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. Canarium vulgare

Example: leaf--cold maceration in coconut milk and seawater, taken internally against diarrhea or ciguatera. Cold maceration of chewed leave, spat into a cup and mixed with coconut water: taken internally against ciguatera

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. firmament (astronomical)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Phrynium giganteum (RPV #158)

Scientific name: Phrynium giganteum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. a white coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. a small water-plant

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

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

Example: The leaves of this plant are used to treat stomach ache. Take a handful of leaves and mix with 1/2 liter of water, crush the leaves in the water and drink the entire amount when your stomach hurts. Alternatively, this can also be consumed 1x a week as a tonic drink for the stomach and system.

Scientific name: Vigna marina, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. yellow and black fish

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4791)

Scientific name: Acalypha wilkesiana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. herb, growing in partially drained marsh and along weedy areas of road. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3600)

Example: This plant is used as an ornament in the hair.

Scientific name: Palhinhaea cernua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Macaranga tanarius L.

Example: Inner bark: mouthwash with decoction, toothache.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. a wing, a sheath, a covering of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. a bundle of reeds for a torch; a torch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. terrestrial fern, growing on rocky area in secondary forest above the river. Leaves c. 3 m long. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3654)

Example: The leaf is wrapped around the head as an adornment by both men and women. If a person gets burned by a fire, scrape the petiole of this plant and squeeze juice on the wound to cool and heal it. Use as long as needed. The ancestors are said to have cooked the stump of this plant in an earth oven, over 2-3 nights, and then ate it. It is said to have no taste but was more of a famine food during periods of drought.

Scientific name: Angiopteris evecta, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 3. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3581)

Example: This plant is used to make houseposts and for firewood.

Scientific name: Pittosporum aneityense, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. small tree. Found in the village, but not cultivated. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #17)

Example: 1. Ancestors used this plant to make fish line – cut young branches, remove outer bark and tie together, put in salt water or fresh water for a week, it is now strong, dry in sun, take fibers and twist them together to make a very long fishing line. 2. Leaves are used to feed pigs. 3. Take inner bark, scrape it and put on boils. Attach with any leaf and it takes out the boil. 4. Trunk for temporary bush house.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. spiny holy mangrove (RPV #118)

Scientific name: Acanthus ilicifolius, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nɛpʧinoʊɣsin] n. mouth

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[neriseris] n. spider (house)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Black jack

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

Scientific name: Caranx lugubris via FishBase, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. forest

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 152

n. tree fern, trunk 2-2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3693)

Scientific name: Cyathea vieillardii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub. Uncultivated around the village disturbed areas. . (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #27)

Example: The fruits are edible when ripe--eating them turns the tongue purple. 1. 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. 2. Ancestors 4 top branches and chew and spit out remaining fiber will destroy the effects of a love potion that is too strong – meaning that the husband or wife will miss the other person too much so that they become mentally ill. 3. Edible fruits: eating them turns tongue black/purple.

Scientific name: Melastoma malabathricum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. a meteor; also "nidil"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree to 4 m, dbh 6 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4992)

Example: The stems of this plant are good for making temporary houses in the bush. When used as firewood, the stems are said to "hold the fire," meaning they burn a long time, even all night so in the morning the fire can be restarted by adding kindling. This wood is said to be good when a person has no matches, as the fire can be restarted easily. Young leaves of this species can be wrapped around ground coconut and eaten raw. The young leaves can also be boiled in water for 15 minutes, coconut milk added, and eaten with tubers such as cassava. The young leaves can be wrapped around beef or pork, tied with a string from Pandanus and cooked in the earth oven.

Scientific name: Ficus storckii (or wassa), Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. a branch of red coral

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4775)

Scientific name: Commersonia bartramia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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

[nirinɣat erefera ran] n. pandanus leaf rolled for the preparation of mats and baskets

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shoots of plants of bananas

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. breadfruit; also "nohwanma"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. grass

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. the north-north-west wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

[nowanavin] n. sand

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. the Norfolk Island pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

[oŋmraŋ] n. old (man)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

[toŋ] n. tongue

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

v. to fish (with a rod)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[jaŋ] n. yellow (color)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi