Aneityum

[ak] pro. him

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[apuat pam] n. just dark now, black

Speaker: David Nasauman

inter. where

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. last quarter of moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 78

[et amai inɣaɣen] phr. he chews kava (traditional)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[itij] num. one

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

v. to swell, as reeds when near blossoming

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 80

n. plastic bailer, bottle to get water out of canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. stunted tree, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3276)

Example: This is known as "woman’s kauri". The timber from this tree is used for houseposts.

Scientific name: Turrillia lutea, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. a basket of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. sedge to 1 m, flowers brown (collection: Michael J. Balick #4883)

Example: Children pull up the new young shoots and eat them. You eat the white soft part at the base of the part that comes off when you pull it. See photo.

Scientific name: Gahnia aspera, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Ocellated eagle ray

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

Scientific name: Aetobatus ocellatus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. kind of bird

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

Scientific name: Acacia spirorbis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

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. rose

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 179

n. herb to 50 cm tall, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4947)

Example: To treat toothache, collect the uppermost young leaves, rub them in your hand, put mass of crushed leaves into the area of toothache to lessen the pain. Do this as needed until the pain goes away. Keep it in your mouth for 10 minutes then spit out, then add a new one, keep going as needed.

Scientific name: Synedrella nodiflora, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. the flour, as of arrowroot

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

[mataʊ] n. older brother

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. Roundjaw bonefish

Example: Photo by J.E Randall, Fishbase: CC BY-A-NC 3.0

Scientific name: Albula glossodonta via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

[naθi aθiat upni] phr. Good morning. (greeting in mid-morning, after 10 o’clock)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[nadimi itij] phr. one man

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3576)

Example: This plant is used to make a temporary house along the coast. It is considered "namba one" for shade. It is also an unspecified "message plant.

Scientific name: Leucaena forsteri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. small turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a plant with white flowers; a lily

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. cotton

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3217)

Example: 1a. When traveling past a community you can place these leaves in a basket or walk with it in your hand. In this way people in the community know that you are traveling in peace and will cause no harm to people in that village. 1b. Message plant – if you go to visit someone and they are not there, you leave a branch of this on the door or somewhere they can see it and they know that some relatives have come and tried to visit them.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. seed of a fig

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 150

n. chicken feathers

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. small treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3682)

Example: Can be used to stop pain from toothache. Break of the top growth of a branch and remove all leaves. Chew on the green stem at the site where there is a toothache. Keep the juice from chewing in your mouth for 2-5 minutes then spit the juice out. Leave the stem fibers in your mouth at the site of pain for about 20 minutes then remove. Then repeat 2 more times. This makes the tooth thinner so it breaks more easily.

Scientific name: Cyrtandra aneiteensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb to 10 cm, sterile (collection: Michael J. Balick #4985)

Example: This plant is a very important food during a famine. People dig up the roots and roast these on the embers of a fire for 25 minutes, then check the root to get out the starchy material, and spit out the fiber. There is said to be little taste; this is a bland food that a person eats to survive. People on Aneityum have harvested it for a very long time so there is not as much of a supply left as in the past.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. great hog plum (RPV #5)

Scientific name: Spondias dulcis, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

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. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. epiphyte on fallen tree, growing in disturbed forest. Fruit. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3474)

Example: When children feel weak, this is a good medicine for them. Squeeze the leaves and give the child (3-5 years of age) one tea spoon of the juice and it is said to make them strong again.

Scientific name: Appendicula reflexa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[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

[nawʊnoan] n. neck

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[napanaunuŋ eθa] phr. where are you going?

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. channel of a stream

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 134

n. a stem

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 97

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. dawn of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 4 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4898)

Example: The leaves are used to cover goat or pig meat when a person is roasting it on an earth oven It prevents it from burning and enhances the taste of the meat.

Scientific name: Delarbrea paradoxa, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. corky stilt mangrove (RPV #94)

Scientific name: Rhizophora apiculata, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a small gray berry used as beads

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

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

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

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. 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. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. sailing canoe

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3466)

Example: The wood of this species is very hard and therefore useful for making houses. In fact it is so hard that a person cannot drive a nail through it. This wood is used to make spears for fishing.

Scientific name: Sarcomelicope simplicifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. the takoma or tekma, a tree with white flowers

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. a fresh coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. fruit (general term)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. west

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 198

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. balsam; resin

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 127, 178

n. tree, 10-12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4061)

Example: 1. When cooking "Naura" (freshwater prawns), the leaves are used to wrap them before they are roasted in a fire. 2. When making lap-lap (a traditional dish made of grated root crops), and the lap-lap leaf is unavailable (Heliconia sp.), use the large leaf of this species to wrap the taro.

Scientific name: Dillenia neoebudica, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub, 1-1. 25 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3591)

Example: The fruits of this species are edible when ripe (black) and are very sweet. It grows in the white grass area in the open. It is "numba one" fruit. If a person eats a lot of these it turns their tongue reddish-purple.

Scientific name: Vaccinium macgillivrayi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nijom araheθ] n. lit. "round house"

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

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

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. Goldspotted spinefoot

Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Siganus punctatus, Speaker: Chris Nevehev

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3627)

Scientific name: Polyalthia nitidissima, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. Hornstedtia sp.

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

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 445

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. a native pudding made with yam and coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[nopwañ] n. Far Eastern Curlew

Example: Photo by Graham Winterflood, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Numenius madagascariensis, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. dry coconut

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4794)

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

[numu] n. fish (general)

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. non-fish creatures in the sea

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. understory tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4049)

Example: 1. The name means "knife of sandpaper", a type of fish. The leaf base resembles the fin of the fish. 2. In the past, a spear was made from the sapling wood of this plant for tribal warfare. Today, spears are made from this plant for fishing. First, a relatively straight spaling is chosen and then heated over a fire. The pliable portion of wood is straightened and then decorticated. When cool, a portion of wire can be affixed on one end to aid in the spearing of fish.

Scientific name: Tapeinosperma

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. new moon

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

[owaŋ] num. six

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. terrestrial orchid growing in cloud forest along ridge. Flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3281)

Scientific name: Pristiglottis montana

n. sprouts

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 188