An example search has returned 100 entries
iesukwrúr
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.
bookmarkkarkarepa
kawitnawit
koaba
[koa̤pe] n. tree in house area near village, 5 m tall (collection: Michael J. Balick #4720)
Example: The fruit of this tree is edible. The stem yields posts for building houses. The wood from the tree is said to be very strong, so larger parts of the tree can be used for house construction. The leaves are used to treat diarrhea. A person chews 4 leaves at a time as long as needed.
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kuanasenash
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.
bookmarkkuanihinihy
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5034)
Example: Stems can be used as a broom when tied in bunch. When a young woman does not want to have children, she can chew these leaves for one week, spit out fibers and swallow the leaf residue. If she chews four branches of leaves per treatment, two times a day, for one week, she will stay barren for 5-6 years.
bookmarkkwankukeibu
[kwankukepu] n. liana growing into canopy of Myristica fatua tree, growing in forest along kwataren kastom road. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3092)
Example: The vine of this plant is used to tie an outrigger on to a canoe. Heat up the stem and peel off the outer bark; while it is still warm use it to tie an outrigger to the canoe. When the stem cools it becomes very hard. It is also used to tie sugar cane.
bookmarkkwanviru
marawta
Sabre squirrelfish
Example: Photo by Andy A. Lewis / Lizard Island Research Station, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknaik
namatamai
Slender emperor
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarknameyo
nareng
n. tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3235)
Example: The ripe fruits are the best food for the flying fox. Hunters know this. In older times, people ate the ripe fruit. The bark is used as a traditional "saucepan." Bark is rolled over food such as Island Cabbage or other edible leaves and put on top of the stone oven to cook.
bookmarknatimi
nawirec
nefararota
[nafare rota] n. tree, 5 m tall with 3 branches (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3097)
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.
bookmarkneirapin
nekira
nerer
niséi
nukwesi
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5033)
Example: Young leaves edible, boil with water or cook in coconut milk. Cook fruit in boiling water, then cook in coconut milk. Cook fruits for 6-10 minutes. He was taught this by his grandparents who showed him how to eat wild plants; his grandfather wasa historically significant person in the Port Resolution area, especially in reference to medicine.
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nɨmpen
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.
bookmarknɨparɨm
penesu
Globehead parrotfish
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkpenesu
Pacific slopehead parrotfish, tan-faced parrotfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkpirawa ~ firawa
Blue-spotted large-eye bream
Example: Photo by J. E. Randall, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkrayai
Whitespotted surgeonfish
Example: Photo by Jeffrey T. Williams / Smithsonian Institution, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkTakiaew sei tasi
Anna’s Chromodoris
Example: Photo by tonydiver / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
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tanapɨn
teara
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5116)
Example: If a person gets cut while on reef, take leaves and burn them to an ash. Put this powder on the sore for one day to dry and heal cut. For constipation, take 1 handful bark, mash it, put with coconut water (one coconut’s worth), and drink a cup once. Don’t do other activites. This will clear bowel within a day. Very powerful.
bookmarktruvehimiru
tuitui
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5090)
Example: Take a coconut leaf, take out the midribs so it becomes a sharp spine, impale the seeds on this, and light them for use as a torch. Leaf used to cover earth oven, and can be put between the stones and the wrapped cooking leaves in order to keep the food clean. Children play with the seeds as marbles
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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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