Chapter X · VOCABULARY OF THE ISLANDS OF BOUGAINVILLE STRAITS—TREASURY ISLAND, THE SHORTLAND ISLANDS, FARO OR FAURO ISLAND, WITH CHOISEUL BAY.

This vocabulary was formed in great part by Lieutenant A. Leeper, to whom I may take this opportunity of expressing my thanks for his kindness, in thus placing it at my disposal. I have supplemented this list from smaller vocabularies made by Lieutenant C. F. de M. Malan and by myself. It is to be regretted that, owing to Lieutenant Malan taking up a Colonial appointment in Fiji during the last year of the commission, we were unable to avail ourselves in a further degree of his knowledge of the Fijian tongue, and of his general acquaintance with the construction of the Polynesian languages. We are, however, especially indebted to him for the recognition of the pronominal suffixes.

The spelling follows to a great extent the mode adopted in the missionary alphabet of Professor Max Müller, as given on page 116 of the Anthropological Notes and Queries drawn up at the request of the British Association. The vowels and diphthongs are pronounced as in the following examples;—a as a in father, e as a in fate, i as i in marine, o as o in note, u as oo in moon, ai as ai in aisle, au as ou in proud. Where there has been an evident want of agreement in the three vocabularies, I have given the different words or the different spellings, as the case may have occurred. We have thus been, in some degree, “checks” to each other: and I hope we have avoided, in this manner, many of those errors into which the unassisted framer of a vocabulary is so liable to fall. The accented syllable is thus indicated (´) in most instances where it is needed, the accent being usually placed on the penultimate.

Miscellaneous Words

Afraid Fulau.

Angry Fangolu; Gafolu.

Armlet Pago.

Arrow Iliu.

Ashes Oafu.

Awl Nila.

Axe Libba-libba; Levo-levo.

Back Aro.

Bad Paiténa.

Bag Ko-isa.

Basket Koko; Besa.

Beat (to) Lapu.

Before Gaga.

Behind Arogu.

Big Yolulla; Kana-kana.

Blood Masíni.

Blow Ifu.

Bow Lili.

Boy Taui.

Break (to) Taposha.

Bring Galómi.

Brother Manai-ina.

Bury (to) Nafu.

Buy Fūna-aili.

Calico Bauro.

Canoe Obuna.

Cap So-so.

Capsize (to) Igomo.

Charcoal Sibi.

Chew Tatau.

Chief Lálafa; Yolóna.

Chief’s eldest son Natuna.

Clean Lapu; Sapolu.

Club Peko.

Club (dancing) Toko; Toku.

Cold Lulu-gulu.

Comb Supi.

Cut Ausi.

Dance Gatu.

Dark Lali.

Day Boï.

Dead Mate; Imati.

Deaf Kipau.

Devil (i.e., bad spirit) Nito paiténa.

Dig (to) Eli.

Dirty Mati.

Drift (to) Ali.

Drink (to) Atali aoa.

Drinking-vessel (a cocoanut).

with neck of bamboo Dogo.

without neck Droo.

Dry Dūgga-dūgga.

Earthquake Nono.

Eat (to) A-am.

Egg I-au.

Empty Golu.

Enough Sumána.

Fall Kappa.

Fan Etif.

Far De-apína.

Fat Hatutu.

Father Apa.

Few Alua-tapoína.

Fight Tala.

Finish (end) Egáfulu.

Finished Sumána.

Fire Feli.

Fish-hook A-ili.

Flint Kilifela.

Fly (to) Lofu.

Food Dorómi; Darámi.

Fo„d (cooked) Selo-selo.

Full Forna.

Gift Teletafala.

God (i.e., good spirit) Nito drékona.

Good Drékona; Dékona.

Great Yolulla; Kana-kana.

Half Koputi.

Heaven Lavia.

Heavy Mamma.

Hot Posella.

House Numa; Fale-fale.

Ho„se (tambu) Olatu.

Hungry Belu.

Inside Uni; Fakoria.

Jew’s harp Mako-mako.

Jump (to) Subolosa.

Kick (to) Savulu.

Kill (to) So-orti.

Kneel (to) Fasiliki.

Knife Papalana.

Know (to) Atai.

Lick (to) Damíti.

Lift (to) Ikoti.

Light (in weight) Dugga-dugga.

Live (to) Peoka.

Long Deapa.

Mad Kipau.

Man Kániga; Tium; Kániga-tium.

Many Tapóina.

Mat Sararang; Pota.

(The names of the two pandanus trees, from the leaves of which the mats are made.)

Match Sararang (vide preceding).

Moon Ilala; Ilella.

Mother Unka.

Naked Ampea-paiia.

Net (fishing) Sorau (large).

Sai-aili (small).

Awi-sulu.

(The plant supplying the fibre is named awi-sulu, probably a species of “Lyonsia.”)

New Faolu.

Night Lali.

No Api; Apea.

Noise So-orli.

None Ausaka.

Now Ivai.

Old Purafalu.

Open Kapeta.

Outside Ampapaluna.

Paddle (noun and verb) Fosi; Fose.

Pay Aili.

Path Poa.

Pearl Bor-otulu.

Pestle and mortar (wooden), used for pounding food Tagero.

Plane (a) Ketuma.

Plenty Tapóina.

Pot (cooking) Kore.

Present (a) Teletafala.

Quarter Totoli.

Queen Mamaifi.

Quick Fakare.

Rain Laiti.

Resin [166] - Anóga, for torches.

Re„in Tita, for canoe seams.

Rope Fili.

Run Gágona.

Same Umbilua.

Sea Keno; Kelo.

Short Papa.

Shut Dakopi.

Sick Mate; Sali.

Sing (to) Gatu.

Sister Fafini.

Sit Ahotu.

Sky Abu; Avu.

Sleep Suéli.

Small Kaidakína.

Smoke Tula.

Speak Arei; Selli-selli.

Spear Portulu.

Spirit Nito; Nitu.

Star Bito-bito.

Stone Patu.

Stop Aru.

Sun Feo; Isang.

Swim (to) Usu.

Tail Aukuna.

Tambu (forbidden) Olatu.

Tear Igati.

Thin Morsu.

Thirsty Fana-oa.

To-day Ibai.

To-morrow Boiwa

Town Famaca.

Tray Kisu; Kishu.

(The name of the palm supplying the material for making the trays is also “kisu.”)

Tree Au; Ava.

Waist-cloth Malioto.

Wait Au.

Walk (to) Dagona.

Wash (to) Sisi.

Water Ateli (fresh).

Wa„er Kelo; Keno (salt).

Wet Pu-un.

What? Afana?

When? Lefila?

Whistle (to) Faso.

Wife Ewa.

Wind Oa.

Woman Batafa; Bataha; Talai-ina.

Wood Au.

Work Karre.

Worn Tualina.

Yes O-o.

Yesterday Lafi.

Numerals.

One Ilia; Kala.

Two Elua.

Three Épisa; Ébisha.

Four Efáte; Efatsi.

Five Lima.

Six Onomo; Onoma.

Seven Fito; Fit.

Eight Alu.

Nine Ulia.

Ten Láfulu.

Eleven Láfulu kala.

Twelve Láfulu élua.

Thirteen Láfulu épisa

Fourteen Láfulu efáte

Fifteen Láfulu lima.

Sixteen Láfulu ónomo.

Seventeen Láfulu fito.

Eighteen Láfulu alu.

Nineteen Láfulu úlia.

Twenty Tanuge; Tana oge.

Thirty Pisa-vulu.

Forty Fatia-vulu.

Fifty Lima-hulu.

Sixty Nomo-fulu.

Seventy Fitua-fulu.

Eighty Alua-fulu.

Ninety Tia-fulu; Sia-fulu.

Hundred Latu; Latu-u.

Parts of Body.

Ankle Sapolu.

Arm Pagolo.

Beard Polu.

Cheek Papala.

Chest Ate.

Chin Ali.

Ear Tana.

Elbow Tau.

Eye Mata; Shoï.

Eyebrow Metapolissi.

Face Laia.

Finger Kim.

Fist Gogumu.

Foot Toto.

Hair Tawo; Uutu.

Hand Imai; Ime.

Head Alapatu; To-o.

Leg Tatabua; Nanabu; Tato.

Lip Ulu.

Mouth Uruguru.

Neck Lua.

Nose Leo; Le-u.

Shoulder Fali.

Stomach Muru.

Thumb Gagata.

Toe Kuri-kurisi.

Tongue Miata.

Tooth Nifo; Nifa.

Trunk Tia.

Waist Buli.

Geographical and Nautical.

Cape Manavo.

Drift Ali.

Hill Soma.

Island Nua-nua; Pete.

Land Mesola.

Mountain Olo.

Passage Ai.

Rain Laiti.

Reef Aru-oshe; Butulu.

River Ateli; Atele; Sallile.

Rock Pushai.

Sand Mesola-lanun.

Sea Keno; Kelo.

Shallow Seala.

Sky Abu.

Steep (to) Suele.

Stream Ateli; Atele; Sallile.

Tide Tofala.

Wind Oa.

Rowing - Pull Fosi.

Back Palma.

Stop Atti-horsi.

Animal Kingdom.

Ant Doku.

Bat (Pteropidæ) Dramo.

Bird Maraka; Maruka.

Butterfly Bebe.

Cockatoo Anau.

Crocodile Umau.

Dog Au-au.

Eel Tolo.

Fire-fly Bito-bito.

Fish Ianna; Ienna.

Fly Lau-au.

Fowl Kokole.

Frog Appa-appa.

Hornbill Po-po.

Lizard Kurru-rupu.

Opossum (Cuscus) Mali.

Osprey Manuella.

Parrot Karro.

Pig Boa.

Pigeon Baólo.

Rat Kuáki.

Shark Bao.

Snake Nifii.

Turtle Palúsi.

Turtle-shell Purai.

Pronouns.

My Gu, as a suffix, e.g. Toto-gu, my foot.

Your Ng, as a suffix, e.g. Toto-ng, your foot.

You Maito.

Him Ealai.

These Ea.

Those Oa.

Names of Natives.

Men.—Gorai; Mule; Kópana; Krepas; Kurra-kurra; Erosini; Tutu; Lawi; Sege; Fauli; Kiliusi; Gégora; Nito; Émara; Olega; Malakolo; Butiu; Igeti; Ki´kila; Totono; Gélesi; Dúkutau; Alisa; Iri-isa; Sahi; Oïsi; Karubo; Devi; Dansi; Kamo; Fulagi; Pilaisi; Maluka; Tokura; Misiki; Levo; Tunu; Biro.

Women.—Kaika; Bito; Siali; Évenu; Bose; Omakau; Domari; Duia.

Vegetables, Fruits,[167] &c.

Banana Toitoi.

Wild Plantain Kalula.

Breadfruit Balia.

Betel-nut Olega.

Cocoa-nut Niu.

Sago Nami; Bia.

Taro (small) Koko.

Taro (large) Karafai.

Tobacco Brubush.

Short Sentences and Phrases.

Where have you come from? Tiga fina?

I come from Alu. Tiga Alu.

I want it. Ai peko.

I do not want it. Abu ai peko.

I give you. Fantellao.

Give me. Tellao.

Will you give me? Tellao fa?

I do not give you. Abu hanatellao.

Do I go this way? Fina fanato?

What do you want? Ahana pe-una? Ahampeo?

What do you do? Ahana wussa?

What is this? Mai-ito ahampeo?

I go. Falalau.

Go away. Fato.

He goes. Onalau.

Let me see. Fanaroro.

Take it. Na.

I take it. Nto.[168]

In a recent work on the Melanesian languages, the Rev. Dr. Codrington[169] deals with the languages of the islands of the Solomon Group which lie east of New Georgia. Some of them, as he observes, fall naturally into two divisions: those which belong to Ulaua, Malaita, Ugi, San Cristoval, and the part of Guadalcanar adjacent; and those of Florida, the parts of Guadalcanar opposite, and the nearest extremity of Ysabel. In the first region, the language of Fagani on the north coast of San Cristoval, is somewhat distinct; and in the second, that of Savo is strangely different in some respects.[170]

The languages of the large islands of Choiseul, Bougainville, and Bouka and of the numerous smaller islands in their vicinity, or, in other words, the languages of the western portion of the Solomon Group have hitherto scarcely come within the cognizance of the philologist, and are therefore not referred to by Dr. Codrington in his comprehensive work. It is probable that that of the islands of Bougainville Straits may form the centre of another group of the Solomon Island languages, as it is spoken by a dominant tribe of natives who have extended their raids to the island of Bouka. Yet, it is a singular circumstance that the natives of Takura, a village on the adjoining coast of Bougainville, cannot understand the language spoken by the inhabitants of the islands of Bougainville Straits. I met twelve of the Takura men visiting the island of Faro, who were only able to make themselves understood by the Faro people through the medium of an interpreter.

Little communication appears to take place between the natives of the Straits and those of the islands of Vella-la-vella, Ronongo, and Simbo (Narovo) to the eastward; and judging from a vocabulary obtained by Captain Cheyne[171] in 1844 from the inhabitants of Simbo, or Eddystone Island as it is also called, a native of this island would be scarcely able to make himself understood by the people of Treasury Island nearly eighty miles away. As shown in the foot-note[172] where the numerals up to ten are compared, all the Simbo numbers with the exception of those signifying five, seven, and eight are apparently distinct. Many of the common terms are equally different; so that it would appear that the inhabitants of this island speak a language referable to a distinct group of the Solomon Island languages, probably to be classed with those spoken by the natives of Ronongo, Vella-la-vella, Kulambangra, and perhaps New Georgia.

I forbear from making many remarks on the general affinities of the language of the islands of Bougainville Straits, and prefer to leave such a comparison to those qualified to pronounce on the subject. There are, however, certain points to which I will briefly refer.

Professor Keane, to whom I sent a portion of this vocabulary, informs me that whilst the structure of the language and most of the words are distinctly Papuan, the numerals and several terms are Polynesian. However, whilst I was engaged in collecting plants and making general botanical notes in this locality, it occurred to me that by comparing the names of the common littoral trees with those of the same trees in other Pacific groups and in the Indian or Malay Archipelago, I might obtain some important additional clues as to the sources of the language. In so doing I have obtained some interesting results, to which I have briefly alluded on a previous page, and which go to show that the peoples who originally migrated from the Indian Archipelago to the various Pacific groups carried with them the names of several of their common littoral trees, some of which may still be found in the intermediate groups of islands, such as the Solomon Islands, which have served as stepping-stones or halting places along the line of migration. On page 101 I have taken “Barringtonia speciosa” as an illustration. I will now refer to some other instances.

After examining the pages of Crawfurd’s Malay Dictionary, together with the extensive list of the native names of plants obtained by G. J. Filet, I have ascertained that the following names of pandanus-trees belonging to languages of the Indian Archipelago may be traced across the South Pacific to the Austral Islands, viz., Harassas, Haragh-hagh, Pudak, Putih.[173][174] In the islands of Bougainville Straits the four common pandanus-trees are known as Darashi, Sararang, Pota, and Samala. In the Sikyana or Stewart Islands off the eastern end of the Solomon Group, the pandanus is named Dawa.[175] The Fijians name the “Pandanus odoratissimus” Balawa.[176] In the Hervey Group and in the surrounding islands, as we learn from Mr. Wyatt Gill,[177] the “Pandanus odoratissimus” is the Ara of the natives, whilst the “Pandanus utilis” is the Rauara; the first being the Thatch-tree, and the last the Mat-tree. In the Austral Islands further to the eastward, the names of the pandanus-trees were ascertained by Dr. G. Bennett to be Hoshoa, Sahang, and Pauhuf (“Pandanus odoratissimus.”)[178]

Indian Archipelago Haragh-hagh Harrassas Pudak, Putih.

Bougainville Straits Sararang Darashi Pota.

Sikyana Islands Dawa.

Fiji Group Balawa.

Hervey Group, and vicinity Rauara, Ara.

Austral Islands Sahang Hoshoa Pauhuf.

By arranging these names as in the above list, the important bearings of such a comparison are at once seen; and I may here remark that I have attached no weight to the non-retention of the same native name for the same species of “Pandanus” in different localities, since as in the instance of “P. odoratissimus,” there is no evidence that would lead us to expect such a close agreement. Most of the common pandanus-trees have a very similar appearance, and there is often a general name given to them in addition to their distinctive names. Thus the natives of the Bougainville Straits often designate all the species by the term Sararang. In the Indian Archipelago, the general names are Pandan, Haragh-hagh, Harassas, Pudak, Rampai, &c. These are the names which would be applied to any new kind of pandanus-tree during the migration eastward of the races of this archipelago; and it is manifest that as the separate Pacific groups of islands came to be occupied by different offshoots of the main migration, the same tree might have received a different general name. Therefore, in investigating the nomenclature of the pandanus-trees throughout the Pacific, we should concern ourselves not with a comparison of the names of identical species in different groups, but with the general names for the whole genus of “Pandanus.” We desire, in fact, to find the equivalent of such terms as the Ara of the Hervey Group, and the Sararang of Bougainville Straits.

That the names of trees possessing such conspicuous characters as those of the genus “Pandanus,” can be traced from the Indian Archipelago eastward through the Solomon Islands, and across the Central Pacific to the Austral Islands, is a circumstance of considerable interest to the philologist and anthropologist. We have already seen (page 101) that in the instance of “Barringtonia speciosa,” the name may be similarly traced from the Indian Archipelago across the Pacific to the Society Islands. Another example is to be found in the case of “Morinda citrifolia,” the Indian mulberry, a common littoral tree in the Indian and Pacific regions; it supplies a yellow dye extensively used by the inhabitants. It is the Bangkudu or Mangkudu of the Indian Archipelago and the Wongkudu or Kudu of Java in particular.[179] In Bougainville Straits it is known as the Urati; in Fiji as the Kura;[180] and in Tahiti as the Aari;[181] names which are evidently different forms of the same word, probably the Kudu of the Indian Archipelago. Another tree, “Fagræa Berteriana,” the sacred tree of the South Central Pacific groups, is the Bubulata of Bougainville Straits, the Bua of Fiji,[182] and the Pua or Bua of the Hervey and Society Groups.[183] I have not yet found the original of this name in the Indian Archipelago, the only suggestive word being Büa or Buwah, the Malay word for fruit.

Before proceeding further I should observe that an inquiry into the names of the common littoral trees, such as “Barringtonia speciosa,” “Morinda citrifolia,” and the species of “Pandanus,” which are yet preserved in the languages of the islands of the Indian Ocean, might be productive of important results. Being unable to follow up this branch of the subject, I would recommend it to some of my readers. As an encouragement, I would point out that there appears to be a resemblance between the names for the pandanus-tree in northern Madagascar, and in the Pacific Islands. Thus the Hoshoa of the Austral Islands, the Darashi of Bougainville Straits, the Harrassas of the Indian Archipelago, and the Vua-tchirié[184] of North Madagascar, may be the same compound word in different forms. Vua, it should be remarked, is a prefix attached to many trees and plants in this part of Madagascar. With this digression, I will now proceed.

Amongst the native names of trees in the Indian or Malay Archipelago which are to be found in an altered form in the islands of Bougainville Straits, I may refer to Kanari, which is the common appellation of “Canarium commune,” in the former region.[185] The kernels of the fruits of this tree furnish a frequent source of food to the Malay races and also to the inhabitants of the Maclay coast of New Guinea, where the tree is known by the similar name of Kengar.[186] In the islands of Bougainville Straits, where the same or an allied species of “Canarium” is found, the fruits of which form a staple article of food, the Malay name of Kanari and the New Guinea name of Kengar have been contracted to Ka-i. . . . The sago-palm (“Sagus,” sp.) affords another instance. It is, according to Crawfurd, the Râmbiya of the Indian Archipelago.[187] Earl informs us that in Kisa, one of the islands of the Sarawati group in the Banda Sea, it is known as the Pihir.[188] On the Maclay coast of New Guinea it is the Buam.[189] In Bougainville Straits it receives two names, Bia and Nami, the former (I think) being applied to the tree and the latter to the sago. . . . Then again, the two similar names, the Katari of Bougainville Straits and the Gutur of the Maclay coast,[190] are applied in both regions to resin-yielding trees which belong, however, to different genera, the Katari being a species of “Calophyllum,” and the Gutur a species of “Canarium.” In both localities the name is also given to the resin itself, which is employed by the natives for various purposes. But the important point is that these two words are merely slightly altered forms of Gâtah, which is the general name for gums and resins in the Indian Archipelago;[191] and I need scarcely add that gutta-percha is but the gâtah of the Pârcha tree, the familiar “Isonandra gutta” of this region.[192] . . . . Some of the names of trees in Bougainville Straits I have been unable to trace further westward than New Guinea. Thus, the breadfruit-tree (“Artocarpus incisa”) is the Balia of Bougainville Straits and the Boli of the Maclay coast of New Guinea.[193]

The term Uri, which is applied in a slightly altered form to different fruits in the Melanesian Islands, would seem to be derived from the Indian Archipelago. Proceeding westward from the Banks Group where Ur is the name of the fruit of “Spondias dulcis,” we find that in New Georgia in the Solomon Islands Ure is a designation for fruit. In the neighbouring islands of Bougainville Straits, several species of “Ficus” and their fruits receive the name of Uri. To the westward of the Solomon Islands we come upon the same term in the Mafoor of New Guinea, where the breadfruit is known as Ur. Lastly, in the island of Ceram in the Indian Archipelago, the fruit of the banana is called Uri.[194]

On this unequivocal evidence of one of the sources of the languages of the islands of Bougainville Straits it is unnecessary to dilate. It should, however, be remembered that other words are distinctly Polynesian in their origin, and must be sought for in the languages of the Pacific groups. Thus, whilst numa, the word for “house,” finds its counterpart in the Malay rumah and the Javanese uma, fale-fale, which also signifies a house, is the vale of the New Hebrides (Lepers Island and Aurora Island), the vale of Fiji, the fale of Samoa and Tonga, and the whare of the Maori. According to Dr. Codrington, these two words signifying a house, fale and ruma, with their various forms, have an interesting distribution. The first belongs to the eastern Pacific, and the second to the western Pacific; but they overlap in the intermediate districts as in the New Hebrides and the Solomon Islands. It is, however, significant that both these words should be included in the language of Bougainville Straits.

I will conclude my remarks on this vocabulary with a reference to the imitative character of the names of some of the animals. In Bougainville Straits, the frog is known as appa-appa in imitation of its cry. For a similar reason it is known in New Britain as rok-rok,[195] in Australia as twonk,[196] and in the Malay Archipelago as codac.[197] The lizard is named kurru-rupu by the natives of these straits, an appellation which is suggested by its cry; in the Malay Archipelago it is known as kikia.[198] The hornbill is called po-po by the natives of Bougainville Straits in imitation of the rushing sound that it makes during its flight, which has been aptly compared by travellers to the noise of a locomotive. For this reason the natives of New Britain term it banga-banga;[199] whilst at Redscar Bay, New Guinea, it is called pawporo.[200] In a like manner the native dog of these straits is named au-au, and the bush-hen (Megapod) kokole; there is, however, no necessity to supplement these more familiar imitative names from the numerous examples in the languages of neighbouring regions. The native names, which the frog and the hornbill have received in the localities alluded to, will serve to show how varied may be the form of the name which has been suggested by the noise or cry of the animal. There would, thus, appear at first sight to be but little connection between the names po-po and banga-banga; yet those persons who have been familiar with the noise made by the hornbill during its flight will recognise these terms as distinctly imitative of such a sound. Again, few would guess that such different sounding names, as appa-appa, rok-rok, twonk, and codac, have been very naturally suggested by the cry of the frog.