Aneityum

adj. happy

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. go out

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. to cross over or through a river, as by wading, or in a boat.

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[amai neto] phr. chew sugarcane

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[amŋi inɣaɣen] phr. drink kava (traditional)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[an] pro. him

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. to go seaward

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.n. expand as a leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 148

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

phr. on this side

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 82

n. small tree, 1-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4020)

Example: 1. The name of this plant translates as bad tooth, and relates to its use as a plant used to poison others. If one wants to commit an evil act against another, he or she will rub the leaves together and squeeze them over the targets food. It will make their teeth rotten and fall off quickly. More information witheld.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[iɲara] n. Honeyeater, grey and orange (Vanuatu Honeyeater)

Example: Photo by Olivier Boissier, IBC973343. Photo of Vanuatu Honeyeater Gliciphila notabilis at Sola, Vanuatu. License: All rights reserved. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Gliciphila notabilis, Speaker: Jack 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. sandalwood

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. vine, growing in disturbed forest. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3470)

Example: A man named Johnnie (Reuben’s grandfather) brought this vine to Aneityum to use it as a rope to tie objects. The ripe fruits are used to paint the face and hands and children make drawings from this dye.

Scientific name: Passiflora suberosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. light

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. breadfruit (gen.), breadfruit tree

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of cabbage or leaf

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. species of banyan

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. trees, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4133)

Scientific name: Caryota ophiopellis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

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. terrestrial orchid, growing in open area at edge of forest (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3480)

Example: This plant is a "message flower." If a person puts this flower behind their ear or in their hat, and looks at another person, it is an invitation to that person to go with you to the nakamal. 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 petri, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial orchid, growing along river at edge of dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4120)

Scientific name: indet, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. parasitic vine hanging off the side of a cliff, growing along coast. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4147)

Scientific name: Cassytha filiformis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

adj. inland

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 90

n. Homalium aneityense (RPV #105)

Scientific name: Homalium aneityense, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. gun

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[lawoñ] n. Vanuatu Scrubfowl (Used to live here, died out, now only live up north)

Example: Photo by Dubi Shapiro, IBC1406511. Photo of Vanuatu Scrubfowl Megapodius layardi at Palikulo Point, Vanuatu. Accessible on Internet Bird Collection

Scientific name: Megapodius layardi, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

adj. smooth, applied to sugarcane-leaf thatch

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 107

adv. (already?)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

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

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4766)

Scientific name: Cf. Tapirira guianensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. the name of a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. canarium nut (RPV #25)

Scientific name: Canarium indicum, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. kind of turtle

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. scrambling vine, growing in coastal strand vegetation. Flowers purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3436)

Scientific name: Canavalia rosea, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. dwarf (North dialect)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3572)

Example: It is a kastom belief that people should not drink kava under this tree.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial orchid growing in rain forest on the mountain slope. Flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3288)

Scientific name: Calanthe chrysantha, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 40 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4857)

Example: The wood of this tree is good for carving. The fibers go in one direction so it is easier to carve, for example, to make a kava bowl. In general, this is the species used to make kava bowls. If your kava is not strong, then making it in this bowl will make it stronger. The kind of bowl made from this tree has a handle on each side of the bowl and it is held with 2 hands. The place name Anumwmamlau is named after this tree. There are said to be two types of this tree--one with all green leaves (this specimen) and one with white and green leaves. If a person is going to a Tabu place and is concerned about spirits, they should take a handful of these leaves and wash the body all over with it--take a swim (bath) with it. Then the person can go to the Tabu place without risk. There are other unspecified spiritual uses of this tree.

Scientific name: Flueggea flexuosa, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. vine climbing in understory, growing in rainforest along river. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4057)

Example: 1. This plant is named in relation to a winged fish. The leaves are rough and resemble the body the fish. 2. The leaves of this plant are used to wrap grated taro or manioc. After it is fastened with rope and boiled or baked.

Scientific name: Joinvillea plicata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub to 1. 5 m, flowers white. Red clay soil (collection: Michael J. Balick #4882)

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: Scaevola neoebudica, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. Pacific yellowtail emperor

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

Scientific name: Lethrinus atkinsoni via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

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

n. a whirlwind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4769)

Scientific name: Breynia disticha, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. hedge

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 156

n. tree to 6 m, dbh 25 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4873)

Example: This tree is a good source of timber, it is a hard wood and makes good posts for houses, fences, and furniture. 4’ x 4’ and 8’ x 1’ planks can be cut from this wood. Great for construction.

Scientific name: Intsia bijuga, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3622)

Example: People use the leaf of this plant to tie over grated banana, taro or other foods for cooking in an earth oven or boiling in a pot. The root of this species is edible. Cook it for 2-3 nights in an earth oven and then chew and squeeze the juice into your mouth, spitting out the fiber. It is a survival food.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. dawn of day

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 141

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3534)

Example: This tree has very hard wood. 1. Use the small stems to plant dry land or swamp taro, sharpening the end and pushing it into the ground to make a hole. 2. It also is useful for fence, posts for houses. 3. Small stems are also used to make a comb for the hair. 4. Plant pole for taro kava. 5. A branch is shaped and used to husk coconut. 6. The wood is hard and in ancient times people would take a forked piece and put string on one side of it, sharpen the other side and use with the string as a fish hook – need to keep rope tight until it is in the canoe. Do not give it slack – strong use AAM 17.

Scientific name: Halfordia kendack, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of crab

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[nɛθoʊn] n. bones (gen.)

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree to 6 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4865)

Example: To bring luck when fishing. Take 4 leaves with stems still on them-- first thing in the morning, when it is cool and quiet and there is not much noise, break the left hand side from two leaves and the right hand side from two leaves (total 4 half leaves) and take those pieces and put in the bag containing your fishing gear. The meaning of the local name is that "these leaves will please the Sea God" who will not understand it if a fisherman does not have leaves with them on their trip. There are groups of people who are part of the Sea Gods and you must notify these people before you go out to fish. If you have these leaves in your bag, you are said to get many fish. In the past certain people were responsible for the harvest from the sea; these people used to know this ritual. Not much known at present. Birds eat the fruit of this tree as does the flying fox.

Scientific name: Ficus glandifera, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

[neθwonomo] n. fish bones

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. grass; weeds; thistle

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 98

n. species of pine

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 117

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3514)

Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. 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

[nelɣo] n. canoe

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. tree 10 m tall, dbh 15 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4909)

Example: The stems of this plant make a good digging stick for planting kava. Kava planted with this digging stick will be stronger in effect.

Scientific name: Alstonia vitiensis, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. a top of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 101

n. tree, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3479)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used in cooking, particuarly with the earth oven. Use a fire to heat stones, then when the fire burns down and the stones are hot, pile these leaves on top of the hot stones and then place the food being cooked--taro, fish, pig, cassava, banana or other foods--on top of the leaves. Then pile more of these leaves on top of the food and then place additional hot stones on top of that pile of leaves. While the food is cooking--each type of food takes a different amount of time--the leaves give off a very nice smell and help flavor the food. The young stems of this plant are used in home construction but as they are small and thin, they are not used for posts.

Scientific name: Cleidion javanicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Macaranga dioca

Example: Inner bark: bathe in cold infusion, wounds. Mix heated over fire and taken out during sunset. Healer clenches the package in his fist, then gently punches the patients left, then right knee, then his forehead and finally squeezes over his head, migraine a

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 441

n. shrub to 1 m, dby 2 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4999)

Example: It is said that if you chew these leaves or boil them in water and drink the tea from these leaves it will spoil your teeth. There is assumed to be something bad for the teeth in this plant. Local name "Nijom" =tooth and "Kan" = break.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Tony Keith

[ninɛhɛn] n. scales

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

[niseuɣ] n. walking stick, staff

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of banana

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. liana, growing at edge of forest. Fruit. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3475)

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 breadfruit

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. fern to 0. 75 m, sori brown. Growing in pine forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4983)

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: Tony Keith

[nʊpsɛθoʊn] n. toe

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. vine climbing up ficus wassa, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4016)

Example: 1. The vine is use to lash roof rafters to house posts. The vine is collected from the forest and coiled ina figure 8 pattern. It is then heated over a fire before fastening the rafter to the post. 1 minute of heat is sufficient, before one immediately uses the vine.

Scientific name: Smilax vitiensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Carica papaya

Example: flower ovary taken internally against ciguatera

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 441

n. kind of fish (folk name)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

adj. adjacent

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 121

v.a. to heap up earth to taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 109

n. a kind of tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 111

n. herb. Found along intra village path. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #34)

Example: 1. To make baby grow strong - Take 16 tops of the plant, no flowers, and squeeze them into baby’s bath water. Bath baby in the water and let it dry on the baby. Don’t towel dry. 2. Medicine – take a large leaf, crush and rub it but don’t break it – just soften it and open it and cover the fresh cut with it – leave it there to heal the wound. Keep changing it until the wound gets healed. 3. For headache and fever – flu – take branches with no flowers or seeds, boil it 15 minutes to extract brownish juice, drink 1 cup hot 2, per day – morning and evening for 5 days. 4. The fruits – 7 – chew and swallow for stomachache. 5. Tie stems for broom.

Scientific name: Sida rhombifolia, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

v. to fish (with a rod)

Speaker: Romario Yaufati