Methodology
This study combines Field Linguistics and Language Documentation methods. The team conducted field work, together with a local consultant, Mr Benediktus Delpada, to collect original and ‘first-hand’ data, documented plant species (English and Abui plant names and the scientific name). Besides looking at the medicinal properties and cultural relevance (from the perspective of the Abui people), the team also explored local myths and legends connected with the plants.
Thereafter, the team organised the data in a database which is reflected below.
| Please note that all Abui plant names, reported medical usages of plants and any associated legends or myths recorded below are the intellectual property of the Abui people. |
Collection
TBC / Dieng kaleela
| English Plant Name: | TBC |
| Abui Plant Name: | Dieng kaleela |
| Scientific Name: | TBC |
| Etymological Reconstruction: | TBC |
People use the grass called diyeng kaleela ‘lit. pot for roasting seeds’ to recover from a headache. When somebody has a headache, he may take the plant’s root, crush it and put it in a cup of water, drink some of the water, and sprinkle the rest to the headache sufferer’s head, while say some prayer. Anyone would probably suspect that cause of the headache is transferred by a spell called diyeng kasing ‘lit. piece of cooking pot’ which people put on any of their crops, and that the headache sufferer took it previously.
The grass diyeng kaleela is a good plant to feed pigs.Some people also think that diyeng kaleela is the remedy of the spell diyeng kasing which may cause someone to have headache.
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| Remarks:
Awaiting |