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For the Yoruba, the idea of family is very important in that it is what unites them, and gives them a sense of identity. They see that caring for ones family extends beyond the physical realm and into the spiritual. The Yoruba having the world's highest birthrate of twins, view these family members in a special way, and create figures called ibeji upon their death. The use of ibeji figures is an important way for the family to care for a deceased twin or twins, whose spirit they believe to be very powerful. When twins are born, it is a time of great celebration for the family they have blessed. They are believed to have special powers, and the ability to bring great fortune to the entire family of which the twins are a part. It is also believed that twins are able to use their powers for misfortune, so twins are treated differently than other family members. Twins are entitled to the best a family can provide, including food, clothing, and jewelry; they are spoiled to help insure that they use their powers strictly for benevolent purposes. The first twin is always named Taiwo, and the second is Kehinde. Taiwo is the seen as the younger of the two twins by the Yoruba. It is said that Kehinde sends his younger counterpart out into the world first to make sure everything is all right. Only after receiving a signal from its other half does Kehinde venture out. Taiwo’s personality is seen as curious and willing, while Kehinde is cautious and witty (Stoll 1980: 39). When the twins grow older, Kehinde will be the senior family member to Taiwo, keeping the established rank of their birth. Unlike other family members of singular births it is believed that the twins share one soul. The care and celebration of twins is important when they are living, so as soon as one dies it becomes critical for the family to take the proper actions to appease the shared immortal soul of the twins. The death of one of the twins can, result in bad luck, sickness or even death to the living twin and the entire family. Therefore, it is the family's job to balance the soul by commissioning an ibeji figure to house the spirit of the dead twin. The process of making an ibeji is important and complex. The priest, or Babalawo, specifies who the carver of the ibeji will be, and dictates the rituals involved in its production. The carver then gathers sacrificial materials, and prepares the specified food for the spirit prior to carving. During the carving process the carver makes all stylistic considerations himself, except for the lineage markings on the face specified by the family (Drewal and Pemberton with Abiodum 1989:173). The carved marks mimic the human facial scarification traditionaly worn by the Yoruba. This facial scarification is not common practice today, but is still used occasionally. The method for scarification on human skin involves cutting the skin with a blade and rubbing soot and medicinal herbs into the cut. This creates a raised mark on the skin caused by the irritant, forming keloid scar tissue during the healing process. These markings where predominant during the Diaspora. Parents would make the marks on infants, so they would know who their family was if they became separated (Cordwall and Schwarz 1979: 58-60). These facial markings made as part of the creation of the ibeji figure shows the first part of their human treatment by the family. On completion of the ibeji figure the family of the deceased twin holds a feast at the carvers house to praise the carver and his creation. The family receives the ibeji on this day, and from that point on it is their responsibility to nurture and care for the ibeji carving. On the way home from the carvers house, the mother will tuck the figure between her back and a wrap that goes around her waist, as she would a living child. Other woman of her family and compound sing praise songs for the ibeji as she dances the whole way back to the house. Other women sing to her deceased child for good luck, and out of fear for the power of the twin (Roy 1992: 68). It can be seen that even in its first moments, the figure holding the spirit of the dead twin will be treated as well, if not better than a living twin. The surface treatment of an ibeji figure is an important role in making sure the spirit of the twin is safe. The Ibeji is adorned with elements of decoration to protect and sooth the spirit. The Yoruba commonly wear beads to enhance their body for prestige and protection so it is not surprising that the ibeji is also given beads to wear. The power of the beads come from the specific color. Every color refers to a different god or spirit in the pantheon of gods (Orisha) in traditional Yoruba worship. The Orisha a family worships can be seen through the specific colors of the beads placed on the Ibeji, dressing it like they would dress themselves, and other family members. It is primarily the mother who takes care of the ibeji figure, just as she would care for her living children. Because it is the mother that takes care of the ibeji, the shrine is normally set up beside her bed. At night the mother will put the ibeji to bed and in some cases will give it a blanket so the spirit of the twin will stay warm (Roy 1992: 68). The nurturing of the ibeji by the mother shows how she treats the twin soul the same way she would treat a living child. With cultural change and the influence of different religions, traditional wood carving among the Yoruba people is becoming a dying art. Yet, the belief in the power of twins holds firm. The Yoruba people are known for their ability to adapt to change and make use of what is offered to them, so it is not surprising that they have taken to introducing forms and objects as a substitute for their own carvings. The new forms that are housing the souls of deceased twins include imported plastic dolls and photographs taken of the surviving twin to look like the dead one (Houlberg 1973: 20-27). Those Yoruba who are Muslim use non-representational plain blocks of wood instead of figurative sculpture. In so doing, they continue to practice their belief in twins while avoiding breaking the rules of Islam, which prohibits the use of representational art. These new forms are treated in the same way a carved ibeji would be and require the same type of human care. The Yoruba show the importance of caring for their family, through the care of ibeji figures and forms. The spirit of the twin must be taken care of not only to balance the soul of the twins, but also to help the family cope with loss. The treatment of the ibeji is very human like, because of the belief that the twins’ soul is immortal. The application of body art to the sculpture through scarification and other adornment, help the family further to personalize the spirit of the twin and to further connect it with its living family. Bibliography: Cordwall, Justine M. and Ronald
A. Schwarz, 1979, The Fabrics
of Culture: The Anthropology of Clothing and Adornment. New York:
Moutan Publishers. Drewal, Henery John and John Pemberton III with Rowland Abiodum 1989 Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought. New York: The Center for African Art. Houlberg, Marilyn H. 1973
“Ibeji Images of the Yoruba.”African
Arts 7: 20-27. Roy, Christopher D. 1992 Art and Life in Africa: Selections from the Stanley Collection Exhibitions of 1985 and 1992. Iowa: The University of Iowa Museum of Art Stoll, Mareidi and Gerf 1980 Ibeji: Twin figures of the Yoruba. Germany: Hub. Hoch. Dusseldorf |
