Twins

GEMELITY (LA) The cult of twins is a phenomenon of great transcendence in Africa, mainly in Nigeria, Benin, Ghana and Togo. It is the posthumous representation of twins in homes where twins have died or are themselves brothers of a deceased twin. In other times and in some ethnic groups it was a disgrace that had to be tackled by sacrificing one of the twins. But in most ethnicities they are considered as those chosen by the divinities and are professed a true cult. Each twin is considered twice as much as the other and some consider that it is a single soul with two bodies and that they would be children of two different parents, one earthly and the other spiritual. In many societies a relationship is established between twins and the spirits of nature, which are often also considered by couples, so they must be treated with great caution and please even if they are capricious. They raise the admiration of people for not being like others. Being related to the divinities are a blessing from heaven. They favor health, fortune, and protect against disease and death, but they can also use their extranatural powers for evil purposes. Without any scientific explanation, the Yoruba of Nigeria, who worship the twins very special, the “Ibeji” have the highest birth rate in the world. For a long time, in some African cultures, twins were mistreated because they were associated with monkeys, therefore close to animals. In other places the opposite happened, they thought they had a divine character, being a miracle of nature and, therefore, the king had to share with them his throne and appoint them his heirs. It was the case in some royal courts, for example among the Tschokwees, the birth of twins was a real disgrace to the royal family, for having the right to succeed the king had to kill them at birth if the unity of the kingdom was to be maintained. However, if the birth of twins took place among the people of the village it was considered positive and the king himself took charge of their education. At the end of the century XIX The Alaafin of Oyo decreed the cult of twins. Interestingly, the largest percentage of twins in the world takes place among the Yoruba. Currently twins are considered in almost every place a symbol of good luck for families who can bring wealth if they are honest, but also misfortune or sterility if they are not honored. Hence, gemality has generated different cults among African peoples. IBEDJI YORUBA (NIGERIA) In the case of the Ibeji, in the Yoruba language "ibedji" means "twin", ibi born and eji two, if one or both twins die, the mother, on the advice of the sorcerer, orders to make figurines, in order that the soul mates do not separate, which in reality are but a single soul divided into two. It is actually the deceased twin and treated as the missing child would be treated. These figures will occupy the place of the dead twin, but with the appearance that it would have as an adult, that is, as the human being that could have been and was not. The family will consider the statuette as one more twin. On the occasion of the feasts their mothers will dance with them as if they were alive and daily will take care of them, feeding them, washing them and dressing them to deserve their good offices and this they will do until the surviving twin can take care of doing it himself. At the death of the surviving mother or twins, the statuette loses all its significance. Usually these statuettes are covered, in the family altars, with a vest of cauris. In addition to the daily toilets, the Yoruba twins, Ibedji, are washed every four days, which corresponds to Yoruba week, which is established according to the markets. They are rubbed with “tekula”, red powder, and dressed as if they were alive, The sense of rite is to show that the deceased son has not been forgotten and that it would be welcome if he decided to redo a new earthly life. Yoruba twins are endowed with great power, especially to attract fertility, but if the mother does not care for them properly they can cause their infertility. In many peoples of Africa gemality is a gift from heaven and when one of the twins dies, there is a mystical gemality. MELLIZO VINAVI EWE (TOGO) "Vinavi" means "twin". These statuettes called twins or dolls Vinavi represent the deceased children, even if they are not necessarily twins, and mothers wear them on their backs in the traditional manner of African mothers or place them on the altar of the priestess of the village or carefully keep them in their homes. They are asked to grant some desire or cure moral and nphysical ailments. Like the Ibedji, the Vinavi are fed by their mothers and laid in bed at night, as they did during their lifetime. They are the subject of many attentions during travel. The cult of the Vinavi is intended to perpetuate the memory of the deceased twins. They are usually roughly carved figures, intended to appease the Trowo, geniuses or lesser gods sent by Maw, the creator god, to care for men. In some cases it is a simple bone, or a bone to which a human carved tablet has been added. These statuettes are sacralized in special ceremonies by the priest or specialist in the cult of the twins. But they do not always represent twins. Twins are venerated in Togo, where there is a high percentage being in this country a symbol of luck. There is a belief that if forgotten, they could get angry and disturb the lives of the living. If they are honest, they ensure their protection against all kinds of dangers and bring healing from moral and physical evils and grant the desires that are formulated to them. . The pinkish tone of some figures implies a sign of happiness.