An example search has returned 100 entries
gonggong
Common ponyfish
Example: Photo by John E. Randall / FishBase EOL, License: CC BY 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkaipaip sei kuekau
n. sprawling herb, with erect flowering stems (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3237)
Example: Children take the inflorescence of this plant and use it to find and poke lizards hiding in the bush. For treatment of an unspecified spiritual sickness, chew 2, 2" pieces of the stem to get rid of the sickness, spitting the material on the hair and body of an ill person; use only 1 time.
bookmarkkapriapri ~ kaprihapry
n. Cassias, type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5110)
Example: Leaves fed to pig. Women string the seeds to make necklaces to sell. If the libido of a male is too strong ("bamboo is too strong"), mix juice from leaves and mix with 1/2 L water and drink 2 cups 1 day.
bookmarkkararɨg feimanu
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5072)
Example: House posts, rafters, good for building in Tanna. Scrape stem in cup and squeeze with water into a glass to give someone with heavy menstrual bleeding. 1 stem to fill a cup, mix with water, 1 liter /day for 7 days. Shark causes bleeding, maybe the person ate too much shark. This will solve that. This plant is called "medicine of the shark".
bookmarkkarengy
kipori ia tasiapen
Pustulose Wart Slug
Example: Photo by tonydiver / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
bookmarkkmtameta, tanpiteu
n. low-growing herb, growing in dense forest heavily impacted by cyclone. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3259)
Example: When a person has diarrhea with blood (dysentery) , this is the plant medicine used to treat it. Take leaves and squeeze juice into a cup of water and give this to the person who is ill. One teaspoon for young children and for an adult 1 full cup in the morning each day until fully cured.
bookmarkkonianaker
Coral grouper, coral rock grouper (deep sea)
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkwanasanas
[kwenasənas] n. epiphyte growing on neonauclea forsteri trunk, about 2-3 m above ground (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #2977)
Example: Ornamental: The tiny seeds, appearing as a powder, are used to decorate one’s face during kastom ceremonies. The plant is used when the fruit is yellow.
bookmarkkwankɨpu
kind of yam, produces a tuber with reddish flesh. The tuber can be up to 2 meters long and very hard inside, taking a long time to boil. It is easy to grow
Example: During boiling, the water is said to turn red in color and then changes to whatever the color is of what it is being cooked with
bookmarkkwarwasei
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5120)
Example: When parents go away to a feast or garden, children take a pile of soil 12 in. diameter, put this flower on top, surround wth some ashes and then hide in the house to wait to see if the dwarf spirit appears (Karwase Haruase). Sometimes the spirit will come and then scare the children. Ancestors used these spirits and games to teach children to stay together and not wander alone. As the dwarf spirit will take you.
bookmark
makhum
Blue-barred parrotfish
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkmanto billy
marao
Scarlet soldierfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkmarimari
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5078)
Example: To treat indigestion, take 5 roots from 5 different plants, clean, grate into 600mL bottle of water. Drink one bottle twice daily. In Tanna, people use this plant to make rain, thunder, or to stop the rain. To make rain, take a big pile of this plant’s leaves, tie them in a bundle with a rope, and put into the sea. When the leaves start rotting, usually after one week, the rain will come.
bookmark
namari ~ nɨmɨri
namatamai
Spotcheek emperor
Example: Photo by Jean-Lou Justine / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknarparerep
n. terrestrial herb, 0.5 to 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3028)
Example: Ecological: This plant, which grows near streams, is known to hold water during the dry season. If the plant is harvested, then it is known that the stream will not continue to run. Thus, precaution is taken to keep this plant in good health.
bookmarknauropag
[naropaŋ] n. well branched tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3037)
Example: Hunting: Flying foxes are known to eat the fruit of this tree. When the bats are desired, hunters will gather near this tree. Ceremonial: During kava preparation, chewed kava roots are placed on the green leaves of this plant before extracting. Many leaves are used for this purpose. Fuel: To make a fire, dried sticks are rubbed together on a plane of wood. The friction creates smoldering ash over time, useful for igniting dried material.
bookmarknekeskes-apran
nukuk-apran
pasua
Fluted Giant Clam
Example: Photo by tonydiver / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
bookmarkpawpawuk
Spotted Crow Eggfly
Example: Photo by birdexplorers / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
bookmarkpeyeii apusan
Lemonfish, gold-spotted sweetlips
Example: Photo by Richard Ling / Flickr, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmark
Takiaew sei tasi
Willan’s Chromodoris
Example: Photo by tonydiver / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
bookmarktasiapen
Indo-Pacific Tarpon
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarktasiapen
Marr’s Fusilier, Twinstripe Fusilier
Example: Photo by Lesley Clements / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkteren
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5152)
Example: Leaf used to cover boils on skin. Mash leaf slightly and cover boil. Leaf pulls out liquid from boil. Use this for 3 days, changing the leaf 2x daily. Young plants (branch) for toothache to reduce pain. Boil in water and wash painful area. Use as needed until pain subsides. Also can collect insects in dried stems and use these to feed chickens. (Hymenoptera).
bookmarktesereng
kind of yam, produces a tuber with white flesh and is said to be the original yam from this place on Tanna. It is harder to grow than many yams
Example: There is a story that an evil spirit stole this yam during the time of the ancestors, taking it from this area to the other side of the volcano. Because the spirit took the best part of the yam, leaving the worst part, this one became hard to grow
bookmarkturlmata
[turma:ta] n. vine in hibiscus tiliaceus tree, growing on rocky roadside cut along coast road. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3163)
Example: The vine is used for rope. Collect a length of vine appropriate for the task, heat it over a fire, peel the outer "skin" off and use the rest of the vine, fresh, to tie the poles and rafters used to make a traditional house.
bookmarkwarakou pshir
Ocellated eagle ray
Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkwipin akwes
Yellowtail scad
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkThere are currently 3233 entries, 3212 audio files, and 1236 images.
All content copyright © Nafe (Kwamera) community. (2015)
Nafe (Kwamera) Talking Dictionary produced by Martial Wahe, K. David Harrison, and Jeremy Fahringer (2015-2020).
Botanical consultants: Michael J. Balick, Gregory M. Plunkett, Laurence Ramon, Tom A. Ranker, Sean Thackurdeen, and Calvin Heiman. Field data transcribed by Isabella Mandis.
Nafe language contributors include Martial Wahe, Jean Pascal Wahe, Chief Johnson Noar, Emmanuel Maasi, Marie Emmanuel Maasi and others as credited within the dictionary entries. Based in part on materials from Lindstrom, Lamont (1986) Kwamera Dictionary. Pacific Linguistics. Series C, No. 95. Canberra: Australian National University.
The Nafe-English Talking Dictionary was made possible by award no. 1555675 from National Science Foundation for
“Collaborative Research: Plant, Fungal and Linguistic Diversity of Tafea Province, Vanuatu.” This support is gratefully acknowledged.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
All rights reserved. Do not distribute or reproduce without permission.
how to cite:
K. David Harrison and Martial Wahe. 2015-2020.
Nafe (Kwamera) Talking Dictionary.
Swarthmore College.
http://www.talkingdictionary.org/kwamera
Interface and database design under the direction of Jeremy Fahringer and Swarthmore College ITS.
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