An example search has returned 100 entries
-araka
kaipwipi 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.
bookmarkkakeakei
n. terrestrial fern growing in weedy patch with other herbs at edge of open forest heavily impacted by cyclone. Leaves dimorphic. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3253)
Example: Used as a medicine to treat children who cannot walk. Rub smashed leaves on the knee of a child, "he will walk." For a child about 1 year old, rub the leaves on the knee and underside of the foot. This will make the child walk "easily and quickly." and will make the leg "lighter."
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kamumu
karkarepa
kuanasiapen
n. tree, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3031)
Example: Ceremonial: Following circumcision, boys will perform a ritual shower using a mixture of this plant and coconut. The leaves of this plant are mixed with the copra of the coconut and squeezed with water over the boys’ heads. Construction: The wood of this tree is used as rafters in house construction.
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manuri
naprapames
natuan
n. large tree, 10-14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3124)
Example: The wood of this plant smells bad. It is locally called a type of "stink wood." When young children get circumsized in kastom ways, to change the leaves for their bandage, take off the bark of this stem, take the inside part and scrape it--mix a handful of hte scrapings with grated coconut, put it together in a leaf, put it on the fire, heat it, when the coconut is browned, squeeze it together to get the "milk" that is yellow in color. When young children swim in saltwater to dry the cut from the circumcision, squeeze this on that area to help heal it. Another use is to tr
bookmarknawes
[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.
bookmarknawes
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5091)
Example: When the fruit is ripe, it is put in a pot with water. Fill half of a large bag (2 liters) with fruit, add this to 2 liters of water and macerate the fruit in the water. Drink 2 cups/day of this extract, morning and afternoon, for one week to make skin oily when it is too dry. This is necessary, for example, when a person drinks too much kava and thir skin dries out. Eat young fruits as a protection from someone who wants to do you harm. It is said that the fruit has 10 eyes, and can watch after you. Cover fish with leaves to cook in a fire. Crush and boil pieces of the stem and leaves and
bookmarknepar nepar
[napurnapur] n. small sapling, 1.5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3029)
Example: Fuel: Firewood Construction: Used to construct posts for houses. Tools: Wood is used to fashion handles for axes. Hunting: Wood is used to make the limbs of a bow. It is not considered the most suitable wood for this purpose.
bookmarknepen
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5076)
Example: Leaves used in cooking to flavor soup. To cure sore known as "yaush" that is the size of a 50 vatu coin or larger, take 2-3 branches, collect leaves, put in pot, and warm. Wash the sore 3x day wash for 1-2 weeks. This disease is caused by flies and mosquitos. Yaush is the English name. Mosquito or fly bites the person, passes worm similar to filariasis, then a boil erupts and scratch it becomes big sore. Dry leaves and flowers, put in tin, and light it up to keep mosquitoes away. The smoke from this burning plant chases away mosquitoes like a coil.
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nɨkafereng
nɨkapáu
nɨkɨrhanekin
nɨpkɨpki
penesu
Red parrotfish
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkpenesu
Rivulated parrotfish, surf parrotfish
Example: Photo by Rick Stuart-Smith / Reef Life Survey, License: CC BY 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarktamarua
tapatou
Sawtooth barracuda
Example: Photo by Stephanie W. Batzer, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkteki kusan
tui-tui
[twitwi] n. shrub, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3085)
Example: The leaves of this plant are used to cover the hot stone ovens when cooking lap-lap. The ripe fruit is used to burn as a lap. Take the seeds, impale on the fiber in the middle of a coconut leaf pinnae and light, holding the slender stick and lighting a person’s way.
bookmarktuprepai
turlmata
[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.
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warakou
ray (general)
Example: Photo by Anne Hoggett / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
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yapha iwis
Orangespine unicornfish
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 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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