Southern Boy

In my childhood, I used to watch the cartoon episodes of Marsupilami. A marsupial is defined as an animal that carries its baby in a pouch on the mother’s stomach. In the Marsupilami cartoon, there is a fictional species called Marsupilami.

Usually, marsupials are native to Australia. My fondness for words has given me the ability to find some that resemble each other and somehow relate them! I love words! If you’d like to learn new words daily, kindly check here.

When I first heard the word “marsupial,” after gaining some proficiency in writing Tamil poems, it sounded oddly familiar—almost like a Tamil word! But how could that be? It’s an Australian term for an Australian animal.

I love discovering the etymology of words! According to its etymology, “marsupial” means “resembling a pouch.” However, I wasn’t fully satisfied with that explanation, as I was guessing something else.

I split the word “marsupial” into two parts: “Mar” and “Supial.” In Tamil, “Mar” (மார்) means breast, and in certain dialects of southern Tamil Nadu, “Supial” (சூப்பியல்) refers to the plural of animals that suckle.

Combining these words, “marsupial” could be interpreted as "animals that suckle at the breast." This interpretation seemed unusual but fascinating, despite its apparent disconnect from the standard meaning of “marsupial.”

But I didn’t stop there! When I searched for the kangaroo, a well-known marsupial, I found an image that fits my theory perfectly.

Additionally, I came across a Reddit video showing how marsupials breastfeed continuously while in their mother’s pouch.

The word “marsupial” makes perfect sense when viewed through the lens of Tamil etymology. But how? I believe there could be a missing historical connection linking Tamil Nadu, Africa, and Australia!

Meanwhile, Ancient trade routes between Tamil Kings and distant parts of the world, including Africa, Australia are well-documented, so it’s an area that invites further exploration.