Nafe (Kwamera)

v. plant (certain plants such as taro, papaya, kava, sugarcane, manioc)

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

kind of cassava. The skin of the root of this variety is red

Scientific name: Manihot esculenta, Speaker: Johnson Noar

lady finger bananas

Scientific name: Bislama, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. lichen

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

[kəkwapu] n. tree, 3-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #2978)

Example: Agricultural: When this plant is in flower, it is said that an edible shellfish (Suefa) is ready to be harvested. Light: A dry portion of wood is also used by older men as a "lightstick". Fuel: Two dry sticks are rubbed together as firestarter, in the absence of matches.

Scientific name: Hedycarya dorstenioides, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. type of fern (collection: Michael J. Balick #5073)

Example: To treat scabies, collect 5 whole plants, remove the soil, then boil in a bucket of water for 10-20 min and wash the scabies 2x daily for 2 weeks or until the scabies is dry.

Scientific name: Adiantum, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5134)

Example: Cut open ripe fruit, put red seed in mouth, chew them, then spit out hard seeds left. Ancients used to eat the seeds in this way -- certain people still like it.

Scientific name: Momordica charantia, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5134)

Example: Cut open ripe fruit, put red seed in mouth, chew them, then spit out hard seeds left. Ancients used to eat the seeds in this way -- certain people still like it.

Scientific name: Momordica charantia, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. shrub. fruits and flowers directly on the stem or short inflorences. mature fruits white (about 1,5 cm l). Leaves with short petioles (about 1 to 3 cm) (collection: Laurence Ramon #331)

Scientific name: Cyrtandra sp2, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. epiphytic orchid on tree, growing in dense cloud forest. flowers white. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4219)

Example: The yellow seeds are used are used to paint faces. The use is currently practiced by children and thought to be an archaic use.

Scientific name: Dendrobium, Speaker: Martial Wahe

[kwankamun] n. large herb, 0.5 to 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3002)

Example: Ornamental: The white fruits of this plant are used as pendants to fashion a necklace for a man, woman or child.

Scientific name: Coix lacryma-jobi, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

kind of yam, produces tubers with white flesh. It is fast-growing and produces a large bunch of tubers

Example: Very sweet and sticks to the teeth when eaten

Scientific name: Dioscorea spp., Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5041)

Example: Flower attracts flying fox--hunters know this. Nut is edible, eat green, split fruit to obtain it. Raw, can also fry it in oil and dry in sun, keep 1-2 week to eat. This is an important food for the cyclone season. People prepare it when they know the cyclone is coming (emergency food).

Scientific name: Barringtonia racemosa, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. twin apple (Ochrosia oppositifolia)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

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).

Scientific name: Desmodium, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

[kwenasənas] n. epiphyte growing on neonauclea forsteri trunk, about 2-3 m above ground (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #2977)

Example: Ornamental: The tiny seeds, appearing as a powder, are used to decorate one’s face during kastom ceremonies. The plant is used when the fruit is yellow.

Scientific name: Dendrobium, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

[kwana:tɨs] n. herb to 75 cm tall, flowers purple (collection: Michael J. Balick #4731)

Example: The stems of this plant are bound together to make a local broom.

Scientific name: Stachytarpheta, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. kind of taro

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. inalienable the remnant of the planted taro form which a new tuber has developed (at the base of the harvested root)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of sugarcane

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. kind of tree, variety of niemƗs

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. kind of breadfruit tree

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of yam

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. shrub or small tree; shield aralia, or plum aralia

Example: Photo by Martial Wahe

Scientific name: Polycias stecullaria, Speaker: Martial Wahe

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.

Scientific name: Pittosporum campbellii, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. kind of tree (bark used as rope)

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

kinds of yam. There are sub-varieties of this that produce tubers with either red or white flesh

Example: Only used for making lap-lap for kastom ceremonies

Scientific name: Dioscorea spp., Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. tree, 6 m tall

Example: Photo by Martial Wahe

Scientific name: Alphitonia zizyphoides, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

a “female” coconut that only has one fruit on the panicle of the inflorescence

Example: This variety is used for the kastom marriage ceremony, grated with Euodia hortensis and Alpinia purpurata and rubbed on the bride and groom. The significance of this kastom is to ensure that the two people will be truthful to their chief, their parents and their spouse

Scientific name: Cocos nucifera, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n fire

Example: see more on Youtube

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. epiphyte; prominent ridge on abaxial surface of costa. (collection: Tom A. Ranker #2614)

Example: 1. Fowl sometimes lay their eggs in the center of these ferns.

Scientific name: Asplenium australasicum, Speaker: Martial Wahe

kind of yam, produces a tuber with white flesh and red skin. It can grow long and large in good soil, but is not a sweet yam, more starchy than many others. It is easy to grow

Example: Locally known as a “Chief’s Yam” as it is given to the Chief as a gift because it is one of the original yam varieties grown on Tanna

Scientific name: Dioscorea spp., Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. herb to 2-3 m tall in secondary forest clearing, flowers white with yellow-red corolla. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4724)

Example: this plant is used to make the head lei, Kuanari, to welcome visitors. It is also used as an ornamental around local houses.

Scientific name: Alpinia speciosa, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. well branched tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4248)

Example: 1. The stems can be used as posts or rafters in traditional houses. If used as a rafter, it is used as mid-roof brace placed longitudinally on the roof, going from one end of the house to the other. This part of the roof is known as kuar kuo. 2. When in flower, taro is considered soon to be ready. When the fruit is falling, it is considered time to harvest the taro.

Scientific name: Syzygium myriadenum, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. type of fern (collection: Michael J. Balick #5074)

Example: Used for food. Boil the leaves for 15-20 min, fry them, or put them in the earth oven to eat. They taste very good.

Scientific name: Microsorum, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5081)

Scientific name: Cyperus, Speaker: Martial Wahe

[naturena] n. epiphyte growing in dense forest, along ridge. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3023)

Example: Ornamental: After one week of being sun-dried, men will place this plant in their arm band (“Tikinapuai”) during katom ceremonies.

Scientific name: Huperzia phlegmaria, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. well branched tree, 10-12 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3032)

Example: Construction: The wood of this tree is used as timber wood. Hunting: Flying foxes are known to eat the fruits of this tree. If they are desired, hunters will gather near the tree when fruits are in season. Food: The ripe fruits (black) are consumed occassionally.

Scientific name: Syzygium kajewskii, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5038)

Example: Fruits edible when ripe. The stem is used for timber and sawn timber. Flowers attract fruit bats. Hunters, knowing this, hunt the bats at night.

Scientific name: Syzygium malaccense, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5080)

Example: When there are too many rats in house, put a layer of leaves underneath a piece of food in the corner of the house. When the rat steps on the leaf, as the underside is itchy, it will swell the leg of the rat, making it hard for him to move so you can find them in the morning and kill them easily.

Scientific name: Psychotria trichostoma, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

[nijæpər] n. sparsely branched shrub, 1.5-2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3083)

Example: This plant is used as an ornamental, and is important to plant on graves. The color signifies a grave.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

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.

Scientific name: Pandanus tectorius, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #2985)

Example: Fuel: Dry portions of this plant are used as firewood. Construction: The timber of this plant is used to create roof members of local houses. It is not considered a strong wood.

Scientific name: Macaranga dioica, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. medicinal leaves applied to circumcision wounds

Speaker: Martial Wahe

[neke hmup] n. herb to 2 m tall, growing on the edge of a homestead (collection: Michael J. Balick #4723)

Example: This plant is used to lift a person up--take two leaves together and make a "seat" and put it under a person, they can then be lifted up by the two people with a leaf on each side of that person. Use the leaf of this species to wrap rolled leaves of wild tobaco, to protect it and keep it fresh and moist.

Scientific name: Piper methysticum, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. shrub, 3-5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3157)

Scientific name: Hibiscus rosasinensis, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. parasite on fallen ficus branch, growing in dense forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3136)

Example: When a person sees this in flower, they know that the taro is ready for harvest. Birds like the fruit and so boys like to hunt the birds near the plant.

Scientific name: Amyema aneityensis, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. taro

(Bislama) taro

Scientific name: Bislama, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of tree with stinging leaves

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5122)

Example: Peel stem and chop pieces of stem and pieces of stem of Pipturus argenteus (MB 5121), add fresh water, squeeze in hair, rub head in one direction, do this for one month then hair will turn blond color (for Toka dance) and will also help dreadlocks.

Scientific name: Nothocnide repanda, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. tree to 30 m, dbh 2 m (collection: Michael J. Balick #4738)

Example: Wood is strong and good to make houses with, particuarly house posts. Also good for firewood.

Scientific name: Casuarina equisetifolia, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

[njiemis] n. tree to 6 m tall, dbh 30 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4726)

Example: Green fruits are edible. To eat the leaves, cook them in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, eat with coconut milk. The younger leaves should be the ones harvested for eating. The leaves can also be used to bake a pig in an earth oven, wrap the leaves around the pig. The wood is good for firewood and a person can start the dried wood with no match. The leaves of this plant can be eaten with another, unspecified leaf to stop vomiting. When the fruits are ripe the flying fox and birds like to eat these fruits.

Scientific name: Ficus, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. understory plant, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4209)

Example: 1. Ripe fruits are used to feed pigs. The food is considered to fatten the pigs and is fed to them accordingly.

Scientific name: Cyrtandra, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3258)

Example: A sharpened stick made from this plant is used to take the husk off of coconuts. The wood of this plant is used to make a child’s bow--carve the bark off and bend it with a string made from the banyon (Ficus) tree to both ends of the bow.

Scientific name: Acalypha grandis, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. fork of a tree

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. part of the lemon tree or mandarin tree, a bean pod?

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5082)

Example: Wood is very hard and good for making canoe. Wood is good to build house (house posts). Takes seeds from dried fruit, break them open, boil in water and collect oil that rises to the top. This oil used as massage oil. Rub oil from dried seeds in hair to kill lice.

Scientific name: Calophyllum, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. well branched tree, 8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3149)

Example: When young boys are circumcized, the leaf is mashed and rubbed on the skin of the boys who are sleeping in the nakamal--and mix with coconut oil to help hold it on the body. Said to help the person have better, smoother skin.

Scientific name: Murraya, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. 1. kind of tree (from which combs are carved), 2. comb

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. terrestrial; leaves up to ca. 2-2.5 m long. (collection: Tom A. Ranker #2616)

Scientific name: Calochlaena straminea, Speaker: Martial Wahe

[nəkora:ku] 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.

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

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.

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5083)

Example: Wood is hard, making it good for canoe making. Also used to make the stick that holds outrigger to canoe (Nikiavet).

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5083)

Example: Wood is hard, making it good for canoe making. Also used to make the stick that holds outrigger to canoe (Nikiavet).

Scientific name: Vitex trifolia, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. kind of tree, leaves used for penis wrapper (Related to nepek tree)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. tree, 8 m tall

Example: Photo by Martial Wahe

Scientific name: Fagraea berteroana, Speaker: Martial Wahe

[nukwe:raŋ] n. tree, growing in disturbed forest/garden area. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3109)

Example: People use the seeds and stem of this tree for fish poison. Pound the seed and wood and put it in a pool in the ocean at low tide. Fish are stunned and can be harvested.

Scientific name: Barringtonia asiatica, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. Malay apple, (Syzygium malaccensis)

(Bislama) nakafika

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5094)

Example: Leaves gathered to feed pigs.

Scientific name: Ipomoea indica, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. epiphyte on main trunks of canopy-sized trees, growing in dense forest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3120)

Scientific name: Vittaria elongata, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. epiphyte on syzygium myriadenum, outside of transect. (collection: Tom A. Ranker #2608)

Example: 1. A locally revered kestrel, known as tikurkak, makes its bed with the fronds of this fern.

Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. kind of tree with yellow flowers and small inedible fruit that is red when ripe

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of tree

(Bislama) navenu

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. kind of parasitic vine (philodendron?)

Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. small plant with variegated leaves

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. fish poison tree

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. 1. leaf, foliage 2. sheet, leaf (of paper)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. type of flowering plant (collection: Michael J. Balick #5088)

Example: Leaf used to thatch house. Chew base of stem as sugar cane - it’s sweet.

Scientific name: Miscanthus sinensis, Speaker: Johnson Noar

n. inalienable leaves (usually indicates plurality): plants, plantation, trees, etc.

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. orange (tree)

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. Pisonia umbrellifera tree, very soft wood, big trunk and branches, has black stinging seed pods

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of banyan tree with large leaves and fruit

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. ginger, used in cooking and in tea, used medicinally in tea to clear lungs and throat phlegm

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of tree (wood used for small canoe outrigger or house posts)

Example: see more on Youtube

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of tree with small, compound leaves, used for firewood

Speaker: Martial Wahe

[rɨŋkew] n. understory tree growing in area of Ianarawia ("high hill") settlement (village of Philip Wahe). (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3154)

Example: This tree is poisonous to goats, cattle-if they eat it they will die. The wood is used to make rafters for houses as well as burned as firewood.

Scientific name: Trema cannabina, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

[tras] n. shrub to 1 m tall, flowers red. Ornamental plant in homestead garden. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4735)

Example: Ornamental plant

Scientific name: Rosa chinensis, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

kind of taro, has white flesh, considered the mother of all taro on Tanna

Scientific name: Colocasia esculenta, Speaker: Johnson Noar

yam mound

Speaker: Martial Wahe

kinds of yam. There are two types of this variety—with either red or white flesh

Example: When cooked, as with many yams, children love to eat this variety as it is soft and sweet

Scientific name: Dioscorea spp., Speaker: Johnson Noar

kind of banana, small ladyfingers

Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. type of tree

Example: Photo by Martial Wahe

Scientific name: Homalanthus nutans, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. understory tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4208)

Scientific name: Schefflera neoebudica, Speaker: Martial Wahe

n. kind of flowering shrub with prickly seed pods

Speaker: Martial Wahe

[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.

Scientific name: Ricinus communis, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

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.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

n. small tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #2984)

Example: Fuel: Dry portions of this plant are used as firewood.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Emmanuel Maasi

[tuprapwej] n. understory tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3143)

Example: The wood of this tree makes good house posts and is also used as firewood

Scientific name: Claoxylon, Speaker: Jean Pascal Wahe

n. orange or lemon thorn

Speaker: Martial Wahe