Ibeji - the fetish of twins

Twins born here are referred to as ibeji and indicate one of the deities of Orisha - "Ere Ìbejì" (from "ibi" meaning "born" and "eji" meaning "two" and "ere" in the Yoruba language meaning sacred image). Ibejì is a deity associated with the belief in the indivisibility of twins' souls and their magical powers.

Frequent twin births are a phenomenon among the Yoruba people of West Africa. About 4.5% of all twins in the world are born there, and given that this ethnic group makes up only 0.3% of our population, the unique importance and status of twin births in the area should come as no surprise. However, the child mortality rate in Africa is still very high, and used to be as high as 60%. In the event of the death of one of the twins, the mother had to go to a local artist and have him make a wooden sculpture - an ibei - to ensure the deceased child's continued existence and give the whole family a chance to live successfully despite the misfortune that befell them. There are even traditional names dedicated only to the twins: Taiwo and Kehinde. Taiwo ("having the first taste of the world") is the twin who sees the world first, while Kehinde ("arriving second") sees it after him. Although Taiwo is born first, he is considered the younger one - for it is believed that it is the elder Kehinde who sends him to see what the world is like, and as soon as he hears Taiwo cry, he himself will follow. Kehinde is supposed to be more cautious, intelligent and thoughtful, while Taiwo is considered curious and risk-loving. There are also specific names for children who are born after twin births - Idowu, Alaba and Igiogbe are born consecutively.

Fetishes are objects - carved in wood, anthropomorphic figures, endowed with magical powers. The fetish of the twins is said to be inhabited by one of the more powerful spirits, which can bring good luck to the entire village or... be its curse. Only proper handling of the deity that the ibeji hides will guarantee the safety of the local community. The ibeji fetish is both a shelter for a dead child and serves as a ritual contact point for the soul. The sculpture itself, however, is made in the likeness of an adult figure and in appearance does not at all resemble an infant or even an older child - on the contrary, the artist, through enlargement, highlights the most important parts of the body, namely the genitals and breasts (in female ibeji). The fetish had to be handled in the same way as a living child - washed, fed, dressed or rubbed with oil.

The fetish occupies a very important place in the family - at home it goes to a kind of shrine called Elegba and is treated with the greatest care and reverence due to the deity - to encourage the soul of Orisha to dwell and unite the torn spirit of the twins. The mother, of course, is responsible for the care of the ibeji, followed by her female offspring. The ibeji is often dressed in the same clothing as the living twin, or adorned with beads or shells. It is believed that keeping this ritual will manage to reverse evil, strengthen family ties and bring good luck. Conversely, bad luck and a curse will befall a family in which ibeji is ignored.

In the past, twin births were considered a bad omen, a misfortune for the entire local community. Therefore, the cultural norm included infanticide, which, as the notes of travelers and early ethnographers indicate, was a very common practice. Later, however, the meaning of newborn twin beings was reversed - from the mid-18th century they began to be seen as a blessing and were ascribed deity status. This cult took strong root among the Yoruba people in the 19th century and we can still encounter it today. Interestingly - in modern times, mass-produced, plastic, colorful ibeji that look like ordinary (from a European point of view) dolls began to appear - certainly a cheaper option, but do the Orisha want to live in a fetish in this form? The Yoruba seem to think she has no problem with it.