An example search has returned 100 entries
akwata ro mata ro plen riji
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.
bookmarkkakros
American Cockroach
Example: Photo by buggirl13 / iNaturalist, License: CC-BY-NC via inaturalist.org
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kawasawas
konapwit
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5045)
Example: If a person comes to your garden and tries to spoil it with a special leaf by rubbing it on his foot and walking around or rubbbing it on a stick and tossing it into a garden, take 8 branches of this species (MB 5045) and put 2 in each corner of a new garden. If branches are placed when the garden is planted, it will not be spoiled by this black magic. To stop having children chew 4 pieces of young stem 2 in. long. 2 times daily for one week and the woman will no longer have children.
bookmarkkonianaker
Snubnose grouper (deep sea)
Example: Photo by ANFC, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkonuwak arwerew
Highfin coralgrouper
Example: Photo by David R / iNaturalist, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkkwanapit
[konapwit] n. herb to 50 cm, flowers pink (collection: Michael J. Balick #4721)
Example: This plant is used to treat diarrhea. A person takes 1 handful of leaves, washes the soil off, chews them and gets the juice out of the leaves, spits out the fibers and left over parts of the leaves. Chew this regularly until the diarrhea goes away if a person has a bad case; for a mild case, chew only once. It is said that a person has to "listen to the plant" until the diarrhea stops. It is said to be better for this condition than Psidium (guava).
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marao
Threepot squirrelfish
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
bookmarkminin
Elongate surgeonfish (sea)
Example: Photo by Paddy Ryan / www.ryanphotographic.com, License: CC BY-SA 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
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nafetuwan
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5044)
Example: Collect the branches, scrape into a dish, and mix with water to make soap for washing clothes. One can also bathe with it. Also associated is the legend of a rat who, swimming in the sea, gets hungry and goes to this vine to eat. Preparing for a delicious meal, he defecates when he sees this vine. He climbs up to get the fruits on top of the vine, but has been tricked-- they are below! Once he realizes, the branch he is on breaks and he falls into his own feces. He feels bad, as he is both hungry and dirty.
bookmarknapuer
naruakiri
n. herb, 2.5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3082)
Example: To make a strap to hold the ornamental fiber "Nisei" (Plunkett et al #3077) on a person’s arm. Dry the stem, remove the fibers, and weakve into a strap. There is a legend that is told about this plant, concerning a rat and a fox. The rat and fox stole a banana from the Devil’s garden. The Devil caught the fox and told him not to come back. The rat said "lets go to the garden" and teh fox said no. The rat said "go take these leaves, and tie the leaves with coconut fiber--and he told the fox to lie down and the rat sewed the leaaves on the fox. So, the rat an
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nauropag
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 ingniting dried material.
bookmarknekaui reia
n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3026)
Example: Hunting: The wood of the tree is used, as the body of a spear, to hunt fishes and turtles. To fashion the spear, an appropriate length of wood is cut, debarked, heated (to straighten) and then topped with an iron point. Note: Iaruman is the name of the male form of this plant. Prane is the female form of this plant.
bookmarknekavai
[nəfkafa:i] n. liana growing on trunk of hedycarya dorstenioides, in dense forest along ridge. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3009)
Example: Animal Feed: The green leaves of this plant are used to feed pigs. Hunting: The inner part of the long dry rhizome is woven to create a pidgeon trap.
bookmarknikiskes
n. parasitic epiphyte growing on upper branches of fagraea berteroana, in dense forest along ridge. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3012)
Example: Hunting: Birds are attracted to this plant for their flowers. As a result, hunters gather around this plant when they desire to hunt these birds.
bookmarknisae
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5031)
Example: For Kastom ceremonies, use this plant to decorate the roots of Kava that is given to a chief. Also used in women’s grass skirt for kastom dance. When young girls are getting their first period (menstruation), they wear a grass skirt from this plant to be fragrant (in order to cover any blood smell).
bookmarknmeheu
nuirou
n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5163)
Example: Scrape inner bark (handful) and mix it with MJB 5157 in 1 liter water squeeze in bottle, drink 1 cup 2x daily for mother who is not producing enough milk for baby. Birds eat fruits -- all types like it (flying fox) also.
bookmarknukunenap
nurap
n. tree to 7 m tall, dbh 49 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4733)
Example: Wood from this tree is good for making house posts, as it is very strong. The wood is considered as excellent firewood. To restore energy when a person is tired, chew the leaf, swallow the juice, and spit out the leaf--it will make the person feel better.
bookmarknɨmu kwatia tasiapen
Marr’s Fusilier, Twinstripe Fusilier
Example: Photo by Lesley Clements / iNaturalist.org, License: CC BY-NC 3.0 via Fishes of Australia
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rehwiir
Convict surgeonfish, convict tang
Example: Photo by Philippe Bourjon / Fishbase, 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
bookmarktikinau hasori
tukros ~ tukraus
n. once-branched tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3139)
Example: Stem used to plant kava (use it like a spade) but even when you have a spade, you should still use this to dig the hole. The leaf is used to make laplap, a food made from taro or yam with coconut and other foods added. Take the leaf and wrap the laplap and then roast the package on the fire or cook the leaf in a pot of water.
bookmarktuprepai
ume
Spotted Unicornfish
Example: Photo by Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org, 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
bookmarkyakaryakar
Little spinefoot, scribbled rabbitfish
Example: Photo by Kathleen Kresner-Reyes / Fishbase, 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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