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Place names used by the Great Andamanese
Great Andamanese Place Names |
Great Andamanese Place names in IPA |
Gloss |
Post Colonial Names |
Khringkosho |
kHriN kS |
A Pujjukar name |
Strait Island |
Phoco Toye |
pHocoÖÿe |
A place where Phoco flower is found |
Islet in front of Strait Island |
Siampsu |
siampsu |
A Pujjukar name |
An islet by the side of Strait Island |
JiroTauro |
jirÿr |
Place where Jiro tree is found |
An islet near Strait Island’s light house |
Kachawa |
kacawa |
A Pujjukar name |
An islet behind Strait Island |
Ilumu Tauro |
ilumuÿr |
An island of Onges |
Little Andaman |
Thi Lar Siro |
ÿHi larsiro |
Land near the open sea |
Havelock island |
Kokolot Barach |
kokolot barac |
A Pujjukar name |
An islet near Havelock Island’s jetty |
Bilikhu Taraphong |
bilikHuÖtaraÖpHoN |
Cave of Bilikhu, the supernatural in Great Andamanese |
Interview Island |
Tebi Shiro |
tebiSiro |
Shore of open sea |
Neil Island as well as for an Island near Maya Bander |
Boa |
boa |
land |
Baratang Island |
Lurua |
lurua |
The first fire/flame was found here |
Bluff Island |
RaiT Phor |
rEÿpHr |
Named after the two kinds of bamboos, RaiT and Phor found here |
Maya Bander |
Mauntenga |
mnteNa |
|
Land fall Island |
*Sorobul
|
sorobul |
Dangerous area |
Jarawa areas (south Andaman) |
Marakele |
marakele |
Present Great Andamanese still use this name |
Andaman archipelago |
Boing Talnga |
boinÿaløa |
|
An island of Jarawas near Bluff Island |
Mara Tong |
maraÿoN |
Place where Mar tree is found |
A place in Maya Bander where Great Andamanese used to live (Now a helipad area) |
GopTa Pelang |
gopÿapelaN |
A Pujjukar name. Where animals were killed and cut |
Name for Chouldari in Pujjukar |
Laotara Nyo |
laoÖtaraÖøo |
House of spirits |
Port Blair |
Jirikta Phong |
jirikÖtaÖpHoN |
A place where Jirik lives |
English Island |
Thitaumul |
ÿHitmul |
A place with lots of undergrowth |
Diglipur |
* Great Andamanese always considered Jarawas dangerous.
Note: 1. These are the names from the present language spoken by Great Andamanese.
2. Pujjukar is an extinct language once spoken in these islands.
3. Capital letters signify retroflex sounds used in Indian languages. Thus T is as in Indian English ‘table’ while t is as the last sound in word ‘bharat’
Indigenous Knowledge
Reptiles {From Nao Jr. December 2006}
1. baralo N a kind of smooth, shiny, non-poisonous green snake that lives in the coconut tree. The snake was known for its beneficial oily secretions that were supposedly very good for the skin. Girls would catch it to rub it on their bodies as a moisturizer. Generally, while one girl held the mouth, another would rub the struggling snake against her body and face. Apparently, the struggle increased and enhanced the secretion.
Leaves {from Boa Sr. 20.01.06}
2. /e:n/ ‘a creeper that grows on the top of a hill’. Is used to put in the water to make fish senseless/intoxicated. If eaten, produces rash all over the body. Bitter in taste.
3. /jin-tεc/ ~ /jin-tεic/ ‘leaf that is rubbed on the lactating mother’s breast to produce milk’
4. /jira-bal/ ‘a creeper used to produce cool air’. If the leaves of this creeper are put in the sea, the halfa [high wave/tide] reduces in intensity.
5. /pharako/ ‘a creeper’ is used for making rope to hunt turtles and dugong. It is believed that if a pregnant woman crosses over a creeper she will have miscarriage. The milk emitted by the leaf of the creeper is potent enough to blind a person if it touches eyes.
6. bɛcikluye N tonsure, equivalent of the Hindu mundan or the head-shaving ceremony, performed on a 14-day old, newborn baby. The present day use of the blade was preceded by a glass piece for the purpose in days gone by. The investigators were present for the ceremony of Jirake Jr. It was noticed that the ceremony has imbibed many traditional Hindu rituals, reflecting the influence of the mainstream culture on them. But the Hindu custom of the barber performing the rituals is replaced by the community members themselves take part in the shaving of the head. In this case, it was done by Reya and Prem Devi, the non-tribal wife of Loka.
7. jirmu N mythic cow-like animal Supposed to be as big as a cow and a mythical inhabitant of Mayabander, North Andaman. It was supposed to have sticky hair because of which anyone who touched it would get stuck to it. It was supposed to produce the tinkle of bells when it walked.
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