Ancient people experienced fear and respect when they witnessed a volcanic eruption. They worshiped the fire as a symbol of divine power. That is where legends about stealing fire come from, such as the one of Prometheus.

There is a similar legend in Polynesian mythology. According to the story, Maui, a culture hero and a trickster, stole the fire from the underworld gods. Hence the volcanic origin of the Hawaiian Islands becomes more evident. In another legend, Maui knew a tribe of birds that had mastered the art of fire-making, and he captured the leader who gave him their secret.

The symbolism of fire, related to revival and renewal, is personified in the image of the Phoenix Bird which is reborn from its own ashes. In the Easter liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church, candles are extinguished and then ignited again with the New Fire.

A new bird species has been discovered. It belongs to the order of Falcons, or Raptors. It is a bird of prey, and it is extremely carnivorous. This bird belongs to the Family of Firebirds, capable of incinerating an entire town, and to a rare clade of Phoenix birds who perish in its fire but are always reborn from its own ashes!