Aneityum

[aθ tasvi] v. break strong things (like a branch, etc.)

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. go up; go east

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v.n. sail without making headway

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 180

adj. healed, applied to wounds; ripe; yellow

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. the clear part of the moon when first seen

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 166

v. show

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

v. to sprout largely; also "ujipsotan"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 81

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

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3464)

Example: This is a sacred plant. The wood is used for rafters in house building. To plant taro, take an 8 cm diameter stick, sharpen it and use to make holes for planting. The stick is as long as needed for a person to stand while making the hole.

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

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. shrub to 1 m, flowers white. Growing on ridge of pine forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4980)

Example: The leaves are good mulch for taro plants. The stems are used for firewood.

Scientific name: Geniostoma rupestre, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. a coconut with a sweet husk

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. herb to 1 m, flower bracts yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4921)

Example: Introduced species, used for decoration. Planted near houses and roads. Use the flower for decorating hair.

Scientific name: Alpinia purpurata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. an old coconut

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 85

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

[inhosumeljaŋ] n. Black-tailed whistler

Example: Photo by Lip Kee, License: CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Pachycephala melanura, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. calabash

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 132

n. kind of breadfruit

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. Tabernaemontana padacaqui

Example: leaf used for for wounds; cold maceration taken internally against "skin cancer" (severe wounds?). Stalk, chewed, influences sex of an embryo in favor of a girl.

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3579)

Example: The fruits of this plant is edible and tastes like a guava. The wood is used for house posts, and the smaller stems used to make rafters to hold thatch. Firewood.

Scientific name: Eugenia rariflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. well branched tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4022)

Example: 1. A durable hardwood that is used for house posts. 2. The wood is used to fashion cross members that affix outriggers to the body of the canoe. 3. 4-5 inch diameter saplings are used to create a track in the forest that larger logs can roll down.

Scientific name: Geissois denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[inpwain ~ inhwain] n. Pacific Reef Egret

Example: Photo by Arthur Chapman, License: CC BY-NC 2.0 via Flickr

Scientific name: Egretta sacra, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. shrub. Found in the village, Unames. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #31)

Example: 1. To cure when the anus falls out - Pound together 1 braches worth of inpalcapnesgin leaves and of both inloptiri (2-4 leaves, any age) , also take the inner bark of nekeaitimi and nakhe. Put this into your hand, or another leaf and give it to the person to use it. This should be applied to the anus whenever the anus comes out. USed to use a clam shell to extract the bark but not anymore.

Scientific name: Hibiscus rosasinensis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. kind of fish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. parasite in tree, flowers orange with reddish base. Growing in secondary forest. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5000)

Example: This plant is said to have a type of magical use. Young men take one node of the stem of this plant and use it in an unspecified way to attract young women.

Scientific name: Amyema aneityensis, Speaker: Tony Keith

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. the evening star

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

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, 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

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 114

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 119

n. herb growing to 2 m tall, flower white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4974)

Example: Put the leaf in seawater for two months, this will rett t he fibers. Then collect the fibrous strings and dry them in the sun, and use them for weaving. In the past this plant fiber was used to make rope but not at present.

Scientific name: Agave sisalana, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. Achyranthes aspera L.

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

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 439

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. coconut spathes

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 136

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. a thistle

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. Crinum asiaticum; variation asiaticum L.

Example: from leaves taken internally as a laxative to treat ciguatera and against asthma

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 439

n. a burden of pandanus leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. a plant from which twine is made

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 94

n. palm to 15 m tall, dbh 30 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4913)

Scientific name: Carpoxylon macrospermum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. shrub to 2 m, coastal vegetation (collection: Michael J. Balick #4961)

Example: The stem of this plant is used for firewood. If a person has been drinking kava and the next morning feels hung over, they can take a handful of the leaves of this plant, crush them in cool water, and wash their face with this. This treatment will help the kava feeling to disappear.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. epiphytic liana, growing in primary forest. Bracts orange-red at base. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4029)

Example: 1. The roots of this plant are used to make "Nopoy"--a traditional trap used to catch fish and lobster. The outer bark of the roots are removed and sun-dried. The roots are then split into several pieces and they are woven in an open fashion similar to a "noporapora"--a type of market basket fashioned from coconut leaflets.

Scientific name: Freycinetia cf. reineckei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 40 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4859)

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. The second part of this local name "elwa" refers to the variegation of the leaves.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus ciccoides, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. large scandent herb, to 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3453)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used to wrap manihot, fish, banana and other vegetables when cooking them in an earth oven or open fire.

Scientific name: Joinvillea plicata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. sparsely branched tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3493)

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.

Scientific name: Polyscias schmidii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of banana

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

n. the north-east wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 96

n. wind-related term; no definition provided

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4095)

Example: 1. The name means "cranky person". If someone fastens this plant around his head as a deocrative lei, it means that this person is not happy. He does not want to talk or communicate with anybody. The use is no longer common, and now many people do not know the signficance.

Scientific name: Lindsaea harveyi, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. channel of a stream

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 134

n. treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4067)

Example: 1. When pig is cooked in an earth oven, branches of this speces are used to cover the pig, before hot rocks are heaped on top.

Scientific name: Ficus kajewskii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Largescale mullet

Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Liza macrolepis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4094)

Example: 1. The name describes a sea bird, whose long legs are similar in shape to the stipe of this fern.

Scientific name: Tectaria crenata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Humpnose big-eye bream

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

Scientific name: Monotaxis grandoculis via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 25 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4903)

Example: Wood is used to make canoe as it is very light and lasts in salt water. As a styptic to stop bleeding, when a person gets a cut in the bush, scrape off outer bark and use inner bark scrapings to put on cut. Stops bleeding, leave on for one day.

Scientific name: Hernandia moerenhoutiana, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

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. a large bat; the flying fox

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. a light wind

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 99

n. liana, on Polyscias cissodendron (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3457)

Example: 1. Macerate the young stems, remove the outer "skin" to release the odor of the stem and weave into a head garland for decoration. 2. People use it as a headdress. This is a male plant, ancestors used both male and female wrapped together for the headdress. Man would put this on head to attract a woman that he liked. Be careful when you are passing other women who will be attracted to the wearer – so the person can’t speak to them so he can focus on the one he is attracted to.

Scientific name: Alyxia stellata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. the tow of flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 100

n. herb to 4 m tall, male flowers white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4977)

Example: The fruits are edible and eaten when ripe. To soften beef or octopus, or other meat that is tough, chop green fruit and put in a bowl with meat/fish and then add some water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes or if the food needs to be softer, then leave it in longer. The leaves are used to feed lobsters that are being kept in cages underwater, following their harvest. The leaves are used to cover stones on the earth oven. To treat a person with Ciguatera illness, wash many very gren fruits of papaya, the smallest ones that form at the top, and eat these to help relieve symptoms.

Scientific name: Carica papaya, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3468)

Scientific name: Micromelum minutum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. a fern tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. a meteor; also "nidil"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 113

n. kind of shellfish

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3537)

Example: This plant is an aphrodisiac. Eat with coconut meat to make the body strong. Take 1/2 handful of leaves and mix with coconut leaves, use as needed. Mostly men eat this combination. It is best to eat with dry coconut that has no water in it. Eat it any time you wish.

Scientific name: Pemphis acidula, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nilin] n. shoulder

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. sparsely branched tree, 12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3208)

Example: The flying fox eats the fruit of this tree. When the fruits are ripe, the seeds are edible and children cut off the outside of the fruit and eat the nut. Wrap fish with this leaf and cook it on top of a fire--it tastes good. House posts are made from the trunk of the tree. It grows in the coastal area.

Scientific name: Cerbera manghas, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. type of seashell

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

Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. citron; lemon; lime tree

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 135, 162,163

n. turtle shell

Speaker: Chris Nevehev

[nipʧinite] n. cooking pot

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a tree, the leaves of which have no center rib

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

[niʧep] n. mat for sitting

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

[niʧin neijaŋ] n. coconut shell

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. a sago palm

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 118

[nohoɪjam] n. fan of woven pandanus leaf

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

Speaker: Osiani Nerian

n. banana (gen.)

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. coconut leaves in the middle of the cluster, neither old nor new

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

[nʊpsɛθoʊn] n. toe

Speaker: Ruben Nerian

n. seed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

adj. angry

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi

[tai napat] n. flying clouds, preceding a storm or cyclone

Speaker: David Nasauman

n. Great barracuda

Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia

Scientific name: Sphyraena barracuda via FishBase, Speaker: Jack Keitadi

n. tomato

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

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

v.a. to take off sprouts of taro

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 110

adj. done; cooked

Speaker: Kirk Keitadi