List of plant words
Thomas H. Slone
THSlone at usa.net
Wed Oct 3 23:09:58 EST 2001
Here are some Tok Pisin plant words that revise and add to the
Mihalic dictionary. Expect a list of animal names from me before
long.
I have not relied on the lists by Christin Kocher Schmid whose Web
site was posted earlier. Some of them seem unusually specific. Are
all of these really Tok Pisin words or just local words used in a Tok
Pisin context? Maybe we should try to contact Schmid for an
explanation of how the lists were developed.
Tok Pisin plant words:
aiai, laulau (N.I.): trees that bears small, red edible fruits
(Syzygium jambos [rose apple], S. malaccense [Malay apple], and
probably Eugenia spp.) (May, 1984: 76-77; Verheij and Coronel, 1991:
292-294). The trees are also used for medicine, magic, axes, digging
sticks, construction, and cooking (Powell, 1976: 138, 143-145, 149,
153, 164-169).
aibika: two plants (sunset hibiscus or Abelmoschus manihot, and
Chinese amaranth or Amaranthus tricolor [a.k.a. aupa]) with edible
leaves (Mihalic, 1971: 58, 62; May, 1984: 56-57; Rehm & Espig, 1991:
139, 159; Siemonsma & Piluek, 1993: 82). A. manihot is also used
medicinally (Woodley, 1991: 89-90).
aila: the Polynesian chestnut (Inocarpus fagifer); the tree has
edible nuts (May, 1984: 70)
aran, arang, marita: a palm tree with pulpy fruits that usually have
red flesh (Pandanus conoideus). It grows up to 2300 meters (Powell,
1976: 132).
aupa: Chinese amaranth or Amaranthus tricolor (Mihalic, 1971: 58,
62; May, 1984: 56-57; Rehm & Espig, 1991: 139, 159; Siemonsma &
Piluek, 1993: 82)
asbin, hasbin: the winged bean, a high-protein bean that is grown in
the Highlands (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus). Most of the plant is
edible (Powell, 1976: 116-117; Twohig, 1986: 73; May, 1984: 50).
baibai: cycad (Cycas circinalis); sometimes used as famine food
because it contains toxins that must be leached out (May, 1984: 55)
bukbuk (Gaz.): a timber tree with edible fruits found in Milne Bay
Province and the Gazelle Peninsula (Burckella obovata) (May, 1984: 77)
burua: wild mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera); the leaves are
sometimes eaten, the inner bark is used to make tapa cloth (May,
1984: 61)
fikus, pikus: Ficus spp. (e.g., banyan, fig and rubber trees)
galip: any of the following trees that produce small edible nuts:
Canarium indicum (Tahitian chestnut), Terminalia kaernbachii or T.
okari (a.k.a. okari, ), or T. impediens (Mihalic, 1971: 86; Verheij &
Coronel, 1991: 301-302, 322). C. indicum is used medicinally
(Powell, 1976: 137).
gorgor: galangal, a ginger relative, (Alpinia spp.) is also used for
wrapping and for counting days (Mihalic, 1971: 89; Rehm & Espig,
1991: 302).
kalapua: kind of small banana from the Markham Valley (Morobe
Province) [is this a Tok Pisin word, or just a tok ples word that was
used in Tok Pisin?]
kalopilum: a hardwood tree (Callophyllum spp.) (Soerianegara &
Lemmens, 1993: 114-132). Callophyllum is used for spear- and
canoe-making (Powell, 1976: 152, 158).
kambang, sel kambang: 1) edible gourds (bottle gourd or Lagenaria
siceraria [Rehm & Espig, 1991: 148; Siemonsma & Piluek, 1993:
190-191], snake gourd or Trichosanthes cucumerina, and T. ovigera
[May, 1984: 64; Rehm & Espig, 1991: 149]). They are used
traditionally in some parts of New Guinea for covering the penis
(mostly the western Highlands of PNG and the Highlands of Irian
Jaya). In some cultures, this was virtually the only clothing that a
man wore. The gourd also has many other uses; it is edible when
young, and it is often used as a container (Eastburn, 1989, Siemonsma
& Piluek, 1993: 190-191). 2) lime (calcium oxide) (as per Mihalic)
kangkung: water sweet potato (Ipomoea aquatica) (May, 1984: 57)
kapiak: the breadfruit tree (Artocarpus altilis). It has a bland,
starchy fruit that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is found in many
parts of Micronesia and Polynesia. The fruit is approximately the
size of a head and is sometimes symbolically associated with the head
in folktales. Parts of the breadfruit tree are also used for medicine
and magic (Powell, 1976: 144, 148).
karakap: black nightshade (Solanum nodiflorum); the leaves and
berries of this plant are sometimes eaten (May, 1984: 60)
karapa: Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) (May, 1984: 82)
kares: cress, leaf mustard (Rorippa spp.); the plant has edible
leaves (also kari) (May, 1984: 61)
kari: 1) curry (Mihalic) 2) ginger (Zingiber spp.) (May, 1984: 51) 3)
cress, leaf mustard (Rorippa spp.) (May, 1984: 61) (synonym of kares)
kaukau: The sweet potato, an important staple food crop in the
Highlands (Ipomoea batata), often grown in raised mounds to encourage
water drainage (May, 1984: 46). It is a relatively recent
introduction (400-1600 A. D. [Olivier, 1989: 98]), hence it is
responsible for population expansion into previously unpopulated or
sparsely populated areas of the Highlands. Sweet potatoes are grown
primarily in the Highlands and also in the mountainous areas of New
Ireland and Bougainville islands (Vasey, 1985: 50-51). Young leaves
are also eaten (May, 1984: 58).
kawawar: (Zingiber oficinale) is ordinary ginger (Mihalic, 1971: 89;
Rehm & Espig, 1991: 302). Ginger is used for food, medicine
(Woodley, 1991: 135-136; Powell, 1976: 136-45) and magic (Powell,
1976: 148-149).
kawiwi: a nut from the palm tree that is chewed in place of betel
nut. This is Howea belmoreana according to Mihalic (1971: 108). H.
belmoreana is not indigenous to New Guinea however, so perhaps kawiwi
actually refers to Areca macrocalyx, which is cultivated (Essig,
1977: 24).
kombi: wild figs (Ficus spp.) (May, 1984: p.74)
kukamba: cucumber (Cucumis sativus) (May, 1984: p.64)
kumu mosong: edible fig leaves (Ficus spp.) (May, 1984: 59)
kunai: sword grass, a tough, tall grass (Miscanthus floridulus) that
grows in burned-over, infertile areas (Figure 19). It grows with
Imperata arundinacea in the Highlands (Paijmans, 1976: 92).
malo: 1) bark skirt, loin cloth (synonym of mal) (example: "Nau wan
wan ol i kamdaun na ol i pasim ol purpur na malo bilong ol, na ol i
ranawe i go long haus bilong ol." Now each of them descended, put on
their grass skirts and loin cloths, then fled to their houses.) 2)
kin of fig tree (Murphy, 1985: 89)
mami: the lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta). The yam is frequently
associated with religious activities in PNG, especially mami which is
grown for length (May, 1984: 48-49). Parts of the yam are used for
medicine and magic (Powell, 1976: 140, 143, 148; Flach & Rumawas,
1996: 89, 92, 94).
mangas: a tree (Hibiscus tileaceus) used for cigarette paper, rope
making (Mihalic, 1971: 129), medicine, house posts, and weaving
(Powell, 1976: 136, 138-139, 143-144, 163, 169). It is found along
sandy shores and tidal creeks (Sosef, et al., 1998: 291).
mangro: 1) the mangrove tree (Bruguiera spp.); some parts of the tree
are sometimes eaten (May, 1984: 74) 2) a mangrove swamp (Mihalic)
mukmuk: 1) roasted sago (Mihalic) 2) "a mottled black and white
stone, round and flat, about the size of a saucer or smaller with a
sharpened perimeter and pierce through the centre. The larger ones
are the badge or mark of rank amongst the natives of south-west New
Britain. The smaller ones were used as currency." Murphy (1985: 91)
okari, : the Indian almond or the Java almond (Terminalia kaernbachii
and T. okari); a tree with edible nuts. Parts of the tree are also
used medicinally. It is typically a coastal tree (Womersley, 1978:
72; Woodley, 1991: 33-34; Rehm & Espig, 1991: 242).
palpal, balbal (Gaz): a quick-growing, soft-wooded tree used for
fences (Erythrina variegata), canoes (Powell, 1976: 158), medicine
(Woodley, 1991: 83-84), spears, shields, and perfume (Hanum & van der
Maesen, 1997: 130).The tree grows in coastal areas and in cultivated
areas at up to 1200 meters elevation (Hanum & van der Maesen, 1997:
130-132). The leaves were traditionally eaten with human flesh in
parts of the Sepik and Madang provinces (May, 1984: 59, 88).
pitpit: one of two edible grasses (Setaria palmifolia or Saccharum
edule) (May, 1984: 62, 82)
pitpit moi: a grass grown in the Highlands (Setaria palmaefolia)
(Powell, 1976: 130-131).
pota: trees with edible fruits (Garcinia spp.) related to the
mangosteen (G. mangostana) (May, 1984: 77)
purpur: 1. a shrub (Codiaeum variegatum) used for personal adornment,
medicine and magic (Powell, 1976: 137, 142, 145, 147-148, 172) 2. a
fibrous skirt made of sago palm leaves or special kinds of reeds. It
is called a "grass" skirt in English but it is not made of grass.
sako: choko (Sechium edule); the plant has an edible fruit (May, 1984: 65)
salamon: 1) ceremonial rattles (Mihalic) 2) a large tree (Pangium
edule) that produces edible seeds after the toxins have been leached
(May, 1984: 71)
salat: various plants used as counter-irritants and for
revivification: 1) stinging nettle (Dendrocnidae spp.) 2) the "poison
oak" tree (Semecarpus cassuvium). The sap of S. cassuvium is
poisonous, although the swollen pedicel is eaten as a fruit and the
young leaves can be eaten raw (Verheij & Coronel, 1991: 359).
spak brus: marijuana (Cannabis sativa)
taun: 1) town (Mihalic) 2) a tree with edible fruit (Pometia pinnata)
(May, 1984: 77)
taro, taro tru: taro (Colocasia esculenta) grows at up to 2700 meters
elevation (Flach & Rumawas, 1996: 70). C. esculenta is also used
medicinally and for magic (Powell, 1976: 137, 143-145, 148)
taro bilong tais: swamp taro (Cyrtosperma merkusii) (May, 1984: 46;
Flach & Rumawas, 1996: 82-84)
taro kongkong, taro singapo: "Hong Kong" taro, "Singapore" taro
(Xanthosoma sagittifolium) (Flach & Rumawas, 1996: 163). Both corms
and leaves are eaten.
tulip: a kind of tree with paired, edible leaves, seeds and fruit
(joint fir, Gnetum gnemon), unrelated to the tulip flower (Verheij &
Coronel, 1991: 182-184; Rehm & Espig, 1991: 240). The flowers and
fruits can also be eaten (May, 1984: 58).
wel gris: tree oil (or tigaso oil) is derived from Campnosperma spp.
tree wood (Mihalic, 1971: 204). The oil is used as a body adornment,
as a medicine, and in cooking (Powell, 1976: 174).
wel limbum: The fishtail palm tree (Caryota rumphiana and/or C. mitis
in PNG [Flach & Rumawas, 1996: 66]) is used for bows and floors in
PNG (Powell, 1976: 152, 162; Brown, 1986: 26).
wel taro: wild taro (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, a.k.a. A.
campanulatus) is neither truly wild nor truly taro since it is
sometimes grown domestically and is not closely related to true taro.
Both corms and leaves are eaten. It is common in grassland areas of
Madang, Morobe and Oro provinces, but it is also found in the
Highlands (Powell, 1976: 144; Twohig, 1986: 65; Flach & Rumawas,
1996: 48). Wild taro is also used medicinally (Powell, 1976: 144).
wailsaksak, wel saksak: Parts of the nipa palm (Nypa fruticans) are
used for food and houses (Powell, 1976: 111, 163). The nipa palm
thrives only in brackish water but it is rarely seen at seashores, so
it is mainly seen in the estuarine tidal floodplains of rivers (Flach
& Rumawas, 1996: 135).
yam: 1) the greater yam (Dioscorea alata) 2) less common species of
yams (sand yam or D. pentaphylla, D. nummularia, and aerial yam or D.
bulbifera) (Rehm & Espig, 1991: 50-51). The yam is frequently
associated with religious activities in PNG, especially mami which is
grown for length (May, 1984: 48-49). Parts of the yam are used for
medicine and magic (Powell, 1976: 140, 143, 148; Flach & Rumawas,
1996: 89, 92, 94).
yar: 1) Pleiades (as per Mihalic) 2) casuarina, a tree found in
Australia and New Guinea (Casuarina spp.) (Hanum & van der Maesen,
1997: 86-89). The inner bark of C. equistifolia is used medicinally
(Woodley, 1991: 31-32).Casuarina is used for magic, arrowheads and
digging sticks (Powell, 1976: 148, 152).
References:
Brown, H[erbert] A. (1986). A Comparative Dictionary of Orokolo, Gulf
of Papua. Canberra: Australian National University. Pacific
Linguistics Series C, No. 84.
Eastburn, David (1989). Sel kambang. In: Paradise Faces: A Selection
of Stories from Air Niugini's In-Flight Magazines. McLaughlin, Geoff,
ed. Port Moresby: Geoff McLaughlin, pp. 46-48.
Essig, Frederick B. (1977). The Palm Flora of New Guinea: A
Preliminary Analysis. Lae: Office of Forests, Division of Botany.
Papua New Guinea Botany Bulletin #9.
Flach, M. & Rumawas, F., eds. (1996). Plant Resources of South-East
Asia: Plants Yielding Non-seed Carbohydrates. Wageningen,
Netherlands: Pudoc. Prosea Volume 9.
Hanum, I. Faridah & van der Maesen, L. J. G., eds. (1997). Plant
Resources of South-East Asia: Timber Trees: Auxiliary Plants. Leiden,
Netherlands: Backhuys. Prosea Volume 11.
May, Ronald James (1984). Kaikai Aniani: A Guide to Bush Foods,
Markets and Culinary Arts of Papua New Guinea. Bathurst, New South
Wales: Robert Brown.
Murphy, John J. (1985). The Book of Pidgin English. Revised Edition.
Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia: Robert Brown.
Oliver, Douglas (1989). Oceania: The Native Cultures of Australia
and the Pacific Islands. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2
volumes.
Paijmans, K. (1976). Vegetation. In: New Guinea Vegetation, K.
Paijmans, ed., New York: Elsevier Scientific, pp. 106-183.
Powell, J. M. (1976). "Ethnobotany." In: New Guinea Vegetation, K.
Paijmans, ed., New York: Elsevier Scientific, pp. 106-183.
Rehm, Sigmund & Espig, Gustav (1991). The Cultivated Plants of the
Tropics and Subtropics. Weikersheim, Germany: Verlag Josef Margraf.
Siemonsma, J. S. & Piluek, Kasem, eds. (1993). Plant Resources of
South-East Asia: Vegetables. Wageningen, Netherlands: Pudoc. Prosea
Volume 8.
Soerianegara, I. & Lemmens, R. H. M. J., eds. (1993). Plant Resources
of South-East Asia: Timber Trees: Major Commercial Timbers.
Wageningen, Netherlands: Pudoc. Prosea Volume 5(1).
Sosef, M. S. M., Hong, L. T. & Prawirohatmodjo, S., eds. (1998).
Plant Resources of South-East Asia: Timber Trees:Lesser-Known
Timbers. Leiden, Netherlands: Backhuys. Prosea Volume 5(3).
Twohig, Amanda, ed. (1986). Liklik Buk: A Sourcebook for Development
Workers in Papua New Guinea. Lae: Liklik Buk Information Centre, 2nd
edition.
Vasey, D. (1982). "Subsistence crop systems." In: Papua New Guinea
Atlas: A Nation in Transition, David King and Stephen Ranck, eds.
Bathurst, Australia: Robert Brown, pp. 50-51.
Verheij, E. W. M. & Coronel, R. E., eds. (1991). Plant Resources of
South-East Asia: Edible Fruits and Nuts. Wageningen, Netherlands:
Pudoc. Prosea Volume 2.
Womersley, John S. (1978). Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New
Guinea. Melbourne, Australia: Melbourne University Press, Volume 1
Woodley, Ellen, ed. (1991). Medicinal Plants of Papua New Guinea.
Part 1: Morobe Province. Weikersheim, Germany: Verlag Josef
Margraf/Wau, Papua New Guinea: Wau Ecology Institute.
--
Tom Slone
THSlone at usa.net
tom at potency.berkeley.edu
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