PAPANKAMUA

In Miami, the local Indigenous people referred to the fox using the complex word "Papankamua."

This word is not complex at all if you are familiar with Megrelian morphology. The structure follows: papan(a)k(i) + am + ua

If you form an adjective from "papanaki" using the Megrelian suffix "-am," you get "papankami," with a shortened vowel "a" (the Georgian equivalent being "papankiani"). Then, from "papankami," you derive the Megrelian verbal noun "papankamua."

The word "papanaki" (ფაფანაკი) refers to a Georgian hat—a small, woven, and highly specific piece of headwear. While it has no direct connection to foxes, it is plausible that Indigenous people used this term for any type of hat, including fox-fur hats.

Interestingly, fox-fur hats became a symbol of American pioneers and trappers, reinforcing the linguistic and cultural connection.