An example search has returned 100 entries
-akwrigi
v wring, wring out (as kava from a strainer), squeeze by hand
bookmark-amhua
ianɨr
kamsiwi
Yellow-striped Flutterer
Example: Photo by givernykate / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
bookmarkkapajiko
Humpback red snapper, paddletail
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkapuapu
karkarepa
karuarua
keraha
n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3151)
Example: The bark of this tree has a strong smell, and people macerate it and use it to bath. It is said to perfume the body, particularly after hard work. People use it to cover all of their body. A piece of the bark can be put with a person’s clothing to add a nice smell.
bookmarkkon kory
koniere
[kwanjere] n. tree, 12-13 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3089)
Example: The nut inside of the fruit contains sap. Cut a fruit in half and stick it to a person’s arm, and then take it off, put earth on the place where the sap is, and it makes a temporary tatoo that lasts for 3-4 days. This fruit is the best flying fox food, and when the tree has ripe fruits many flying foxes go there to feed, and hunters know this. The fruits are eaten by people as well.
bookmarkkonuwak arwerew
Coral hind, coral grouper (deep sea)
Example: Photo by Jan Messersmith, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkonuwak pitew
Squaretail coralgrouper (deep sea)
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkonuwak sarariman
Painted sweetlips (male)
Example: Photo by Dr. Dwayne Meadows / NOAA, License: Public Domain via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkowava
kuetawirua
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 budles 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.
bookmarkkwanafari
kwanasanas
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5166)
Example: For the kastom ceremonies, this can provide the face paint color yellow. Cut open the ripe fruit and paint directly with this. Prior to artificial colors, people used this for yellow and Bixa orellana for red to paint faces and skin.
bookmarkkwanepit
[kwanapwɨt] n. herb growing on roadside along coast road. Flowers bluish-purple. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3164)
Example: The leaves of this plant are used to treat diarrhea. Take a handful of leaves, chew them and suck out the liquid and swallow it, then spit out the fiber and all that remains in the mouth. Also known to be good as a cattle feed.
bookmark
mangoprupu
marimari
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.
bookmarknakogar
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5048)
Example: Use with Euodia (MJB 5031; Nisei) when a young girl gets her period to reduce the odor. Put this plant under the skirt. When planting yam, dig the hole, and burn the leaves of this with coconut. Put this flaming concoction into the hole and cover it with soil. Then place the yam in. This will help kill any pathogen, like a virus, that will harm the yam.
bookmarknamarban
napuk
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5130)
Example: This is male variety used to build the foundation of the house, to make the timbers for the floor (joist) and put Veitchia arecina (MB 4707) strips on top. Also used for crossbeams for roof of house. Planted in village to provide shade.
bookmarknare
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5037)
Example: Kastom medicine for male impotence (big bamboo = (Nare) penis). Take six 3 in. pieces of the young inflorescence before it opens, chop it and mix with a double handful of leaves from 5047 (Alternanthera brasiliana) add water (1 liter) and squeeze in cup. Patient drinks 2 bottles/day for 1 week, avoid alcohol--whisky, rum, no kava, no tobacco. Stay away from wife or partner. 1 week passes with this treatment, man is much more potent.
bookmarknaskou
navri
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5049)
Example: Used for house posts, rafters, and other construction-- very good for building in Tanna. Scrape the stem and put the pieces into a cup. Squeeze these pieces through with water, pour into a glass, and give to someone with heavy menstrual bleeding. 1 stem used to fill a cup, and drink one liter a day forone week. It is thought that shark meat causes bleeding. This will solve that. This plant is called "medicine of the shark".
bookmark
neiapsan
nepekesi
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5035)
Example: Root is sold to earn money, as perfume and oil is from this. Grandparents used to dry the wood over a cooking fire in a kitchen when a person would get the flu. To help, they’d take dried and heated wood, scrape one cup’s worth into hot water, and then breathe over the steam bath. Drink water afterwards. Do thhis once a day for three days.
bookmarknevau
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5114)
Example: Weave bark fiber to make slings, grass skirt for ladies, hats and baskets. To do this, rett outer bark in sea for 1 week to rot everything but the fiber, take remaining fiber, dry in sun and use as a fiber for weaving.
bookmark
nikanyep
nimaue
nuckuck
nukuk
nukunenap
nɨmu kwatia tasiapen
Three-Stripe Fusilier
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkpenesu
pepheer akwes
Yellowbanded sweetlips
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkpepheer pitew
Two-striped sweetlips, giant sweetlips
Example: Photo by Ross D. Robertson / Shorefishes of the Neotropics, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkring
n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #2992)
Example: Fuel: Dry portions of this plant are used as firewood. Hunting: Pidgeons are known to eat the fruit of this plant. As a result, hunters will cluster about these trees to hunt this animal. Construction: The timber of the plant is used to make roof members of local houses.
bookmark
truvehimiru
ume tasiapen
Elongate unicornfish, slender unicornfish (deep sea)
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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