The Origin of Fire (Motu People)
Among the Motu people of southern Papua New Guinea, a myth tells that the ancestors originally ate all food raw because they had no fire. One day, smoke was seen rising far out at sea. A dog volunteered to investigate the source, swimming across the water. The dog reached an island where women were cooking with fire. Seizing a blazing brand in its mouth, the dog swam safely back to the mainland, bringing fire to the people. Another version from the Massim people of southeastern Papua tells of an old woman named Goga who possessed fire from her own body but kept it for herself, eating cooked fo