An example search has returned 100 entries
-amás
-arkini
-arukwɨpin
Fekɨr
huine
Longfin African conger, moustache conger
Example: Photo by Patrick Randall, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkaipwipi keikwau
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5108)
Example: When woman does not have period for 2-3 months and is pregnant, people say the lizard could eat the baby. To avoid this, boil a handful of stem shavings in 1/2 L water, for 6 minutes and give this drink to the woman twice a day for 5 days. Then the bleeding will stop. There are also dietary restrictions: no coconut, oil, salt, curry. The woman can also not swim in sea for 5 days. But the baby will be healthy if these instructions are followed.
bookmarkkapapu
konianaker
Giant grouper (deep sea)
Example: Photo by Deb Aston / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkuankiriage
n. large, well branched tree (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4245)
Example: 1. The fruits are chewed for their juice and the remainder spit out. Locals refer to this as drinking the fruit. 2. The wood of the tree can be used as a post or rafter in either western-style or traditional style homes. 3. When in flower it is considered an appropriate time to clear a garden path for planting. When in fruit, it is time to plant yams in one’s garden.
bookmarkkwanei
kwatavirua
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5135)
Example: When this plant grows to 2m, peel bark and put it in salt water to rett the stem. To do this, tie the stems in bundles and cover the bundle with a stone in the sea. After one week, rett the stem by pulling out the strong fibers and discarding the rest. Dry the fibers, then make a grass skirt from this. The leaves can be crushed and used as a styptic for wounds to stop bleeding.
bookmark-1-scaled.jpg)
kwekao
Asian House Gecko
Example: Photo by givernykate / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
bookmarkmanhewao apamus
Rainbow runner
(Bislama) Rainbow Runner
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall / EOL, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkmarao
Threepot squirrelfish
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkmarawta
Pink squirrelfish
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.
bookmarkminin pitew
Elongate surgeonfish
Example: Photo by Paddy Ryan / www.ryanphotographic.com, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknamatamai
Ambon emperor
Example: Photo by FAO / Fishbase, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknamatamai
napa
natgamera
nauaua
nawes
[nawes] n. tree to 6 m tall, dbh 40 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4740)
Example: Fruit used for local medicine. When a person is diagnosed with "cancer" in the local hospital, take a ripe fruit in a cup of water and macerate it until the smell of the fruit comes out in the water, drink every other day, 3x daily, morning noon and night. Also used for firewood.
bookmark
nefara
[nafare] n. tree growing in disturbed forest area along kwataren kastom road. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3095)
Example: The leaves are woven to make mats, hats, baskets, fans. When pollen is released from the flower it is said that fish in the sea are healthy. The roots are used for tying things, pound pieces of root and strip them off and weave into rope. A person can cut a root in a way that makes a brush to paint grass skirts and other objects. This rope can also be used to tie various leaves that are used to cover lap-lap. The leaves can be harvested, the fiber removed and woven into rope.
bookmarknefweng
n. damaged tree, growing in open forest heavily impacted by cyclone. flowers pale-yellowish tan. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3234)
Example: The wood of this tree is used for building houses. When a person has a large cut, chew the young leaves of this plant until soft, roll up into some of the same leaf, heat on the fire for 5 minutes, put the heated leaves directly on the wound and secure this with a cloth. To treat diarrhea in small children, parents chew the leaves and give the juice that extrudes to the kids, 1 teaspoon, 2x daily for 2 days or until the condition goes away.
bookmarknekaferang
[kəfe:rəŋ] n. epiphyte growing on cyathea trunk, growing along garden trail. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3066)
Example: This plant is used to reduce the pain of toothache. Take the stem and peel it, remove the bark and place the bark against a sore tooth. Keep it is place, until the person feels better. Can use this treatment 2-3 times. It is said to "take the pain away." The tooth may rot away naturally, but this is good for the pain that accompanies toothache. The dried fruits and seeds of the plant can be mixed with pig food, such as coconut, and when the female pigs eat it, they will not have piglets. This is said to be used when a person has too many pigs.
bookmarkneparum
[ne̤pa̤rɨm] n. vine, growing in disturbed forest/garden area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3103)
Example: Before there were many root crops such as taro and cassava, people would use the roots of this plant as a food, after roasting it in the fire. The roots are said to be very large and edible.
bookmarknikuhma
nimasiur
ning
n. large grass, growing in disturbed forest/garden area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3104)
Example: When thatching a house, put the coconut leaves on the crossbars, and then push the stem of this plant into the coconut leaves and bend them over to hold the coconut leaves. Use the stems of this plant as a support for yam vines. Use the stem to make arrows.
bookmarknkhaourakou
n. shrub, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3160)
Example: When a person is growing watermelons, you put a knife in the roots of the watermelon plants, and then cut a stick from this tree and drive it into the roots as well, to ensure greater numbers of watermelons will be grown.
bookmarknoufoua
nukweri pran
nɨmu mɨru
wrasse (general name)
Example: Photo by John Turnbull, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarksap sap
tuai
tukraus
[tukrawus] n. unbranched tree, growing next to Ianarawia ("high hill") settlement (village of Philip Wahe). (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3153)
Example: The leaves of this plant are used by women to make grass skirts. Slice the leaf lengthwise, fold or roll them up, put to dry in sun until it becomes white. At that point it is used to make the grass skirt.
bookmark
There 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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