The Origin of Death in Ambrym
On the island of Ambrym in Vanuatu, a myth explains how death came into the world. After the creation of humanity, the good deities proposed that humans should shed their skin like snakes, preserving their youthful appearance forever and living eternally. However, the evil deities disagreed, arguing that when humans grew too old, they should be buried in the ground forever. Because the one who speaks last prevails in the councils of the gods, the evil deities had the final word, and death became the fate of all humanity. This story belongs to a widespread Melanesian mythological theme explaini