Centella asiatica

Rosidae: Apiales: Apiaceae

Pohnpei

Coltrick Albert: Liwadawad marer. Alternate spelling (doubtful): luwutuwut marek. The leaves are pounded and four drops of the juice are placed on the soft spot of an infant that still has a soft spot. The medicine makes the baby less afraid of hiccups. February 2004.

Dana Lee Ling: In Pohnpei, as in Kosrae, hiccups are a sign of a healthy baby. In Kosrae hiccups are a sign that the baby is growing. A baby that does not hiccup would be an unhealty baby. There are medicines in Kosrae that ensure a baby will hiccup. The Pohnpei medicine is not to cause hiccups, but to help the baby not fear the hiccups. It may reduce the intensity, but again, not because hiccups are considered bad. On the contrary, hiccups are good and necessary. The Chuukese students indicated that hiccups are neither good nor bad, they have no particular meaning. February 2004.

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