Animals

1. Na manumanu

   Animal / bird

   Usage

   Animals in general, and specifically birds; a clan's totem animal is also a "manumanu"

2. Na koli

   Dog

   Usage

   Village dogs roam free; not to be confused with "kuli", the skin

3. Na pusi

   Cat

   Usage

   Borrowed from English; Tongan and Samoan use the same word

4. Na ika

   Fish

   Usage

   Fish in general; the word for the market

5. Na vuaka

   Pig

   Usage

   Also means pork; the centrepiece of a lovo earth-oven feast

6. Na toa

   Chicken

   Usage

   Covers both roosters and hens; the same form also means champion or warrior

7. Na bulumakau

   Cow

   Usage

   A loanword formed from English "bull and cow" run together

8. Na me

   Goat

   Usage

   Named for the sound it makes; goat curry is a standard on local menus

9. Na sipi

   Sheep

   Usage

   Borrowed from English

10. Na ose

    Horse

    Usage

    Borrowed from English; still used for haulage in inland villages

11. Na kalavo

    Rat / mouse

    Usage

    Neutral for the animal, but insulting when aimed at a person, so never use it of someone

12. Na beka

    Flying fox / bat

    Usage

    Seen flying over fruit trees at dusk; cognate with Tongan "peka"

13. Na moko

    Gecko

    Usage

    The gecko on your wall; Tongan uses the same word

14. Na vokai

    Forest gecko / iguana

    Usage

    Properly the large forest gecko; some speakers extend it to Fiji's endemic iguana, whose own name is "saumure"

15. Na gata

    Snake

    Usage

    Properly the Pacific boa; at sea you may meet the banded sea krait (dadakulaci), which should never be touched

16. Na vonu

    Sea turtle

    Usage

    Protected; cognate with Tongan "fonu"

17. Na qio

    Shark

    Usage

    "Q" is [ŋg], so it sounds like "ngio"; the shark god Dakuwaqa is famous in Fijian lore

18. Na tavuto

    Whale

    Usage

    Also "tovuto"; the whale tooth "tabua" is the most important ceremonial gift in Fiji

19. Na kuita

    Octopus

    Usage

    Sold at the market and usually cooked in coconut milk

20. Na ura

    Prawn / shrimp

    Usage

    Covers both freshwater and sea prawns

21. Na duna

    Eel

    Usage

    The freshwater eel; the same word covers morays

22. Na namu

    Mosquito

    Usage

    They carry dengue, so repellent is essential; Tongan and Samoan use the same word

23. Na lago

    Fly

    Usage

    "G" is [ŋ]; Samoan uses the same word

24. Na kutu

    Louse

    Usage

    For a pharmacy conversation; Tongan uses the same word

25. Na kokoroti

    Cockroach

    Usage

    Borrowed from English; the word for reporting one at your lodging

26. Na bebe

    Butterfly / moth

    Usage

    One word for butterflies and moths; "b" is [mb]

27. Na viritalawalawa

    Spider

    Usage

    "Virita" (to throw) plus "lawalawa" (web) — the web-thrower; "lawalawa" alone is the web, not the animal

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