52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Fire

It is Week 15 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks’ writing challenge. This week’s writing prompt is Fire.

Nearly every human culture/religion has a god/goddess of fire. Ancient Egyptians had Ra and Sekhmet, the Romans had Vulcan, and the Greeks had Hephaestus. Agni is the Hindu god of fire, while the Celt god Áed’s name literally means “fire.” In Oceanic mythologies, the fire gods/goddesses include Gedi (Fijian), Pele (Hawaiian), Auahitūroa (Māori), and Ti’iti’i, (Samoan). While Native American nations have  Xiuhtecuhtli (Aztec), Huracán (Mayan), Haashchʼééshzhiní (Navajo), Kananeski Anayehi (Cherokee),

Then, there was Prometheus, a Titan who defied the Greek gods by stealing fire and giving it to humanity. The fire that Prometheus bestowed upon humanity has been both a blessing and a curse. Without fire, humanity would not have been able to advance, and civilization as we know it would not have come into being. But fire is also the great destroyer, and lives have been lost because of its flames.