Figure | Ere Ibeji

Many peoples regard the birth of twins as a mysterious event associated with the supernatural and is usually interpreted as a baleful portent. In the case of the Yoruba in Nigeria, a more positive interpretation began to emerge at the beginning of the 20th century: since then, twins have been regarded as a sign of happiness, health and prosperity for the family. Their birth is cause for joy. They are also said to have special powers; they can ward off misfortune, but they can also invoke it. It is therefore advisable to treat them with care and to spoil them so that they do not cause harm as a result of feeling neglected. The first-born twin Taiwo is considered by the Yoruba to be the younger, the more curious, the cosmopolitan and carefree one, who was sent ahead by the older Kehinde, the more careful, intelligent and thoughtful one, to explore the world. Compared to Germany or the global average, the rate of twin births is very high among the Yoruba. At the end of the 20th century, the ratio was 1:22 (in Germany comparatively the ratio was 1:100; worldwide 1:80). However, infant mortality in African countries, also among the Yoruba, is still much higher than in Germany. At the end of the 20th century, infant mortality among the Yoruba was between 15 and 20%. Twins are particularly at risk, since they are usually born prematurely. Among the Yoruba, for example, several 100,000 twins died during or shortly after birth in the course of two generations, i.e. within about 50 years. The large number of twin figures (Ere Ibeji) in museums and private collections can be explained not least by this high mortality rate. Since Ibeji figures are prized collector's items, more or less decent copies and forgeries have proliferated for decades. Author: Eva Gerhards, Translation: Timothy Connell