Among the Yoruba people twins are regarded as something special. They are honoured in a separate cult and are considered to bring good fortune and blessing to their family. Another peculiarity: the Yoruba believe that twins only have one soul between them. That means that if one twin were to die, the surviving twin would only have half a soul. Therefore a ‘vicarious figure’ of wood is carved for him (or her). This guarantees that the soul is complete again. These small sculptures are called ‘ibeji’ and are treated as if they were living twins. They are washed, fed, embraced, sung to, they receive sacrificial offerings and are honoured on domestic altars. Overtime, throughout the entire Yoruba settlement area in South-West Nigeria, many styles for ‘ibeji figures’ have evolved, differing from town to town and region to region.
The style of carving shows that the present male Ibeji pair come from the area of the town of Kisi in the state of Oyo, and from the hand of the same carver. They are made of hard wood and dyed dark brown. Their tall, pointed hairstyles display remains of some blue colouring (‘bluing’). Both objects bear the same scarification marks on their faces and abdomens. Both bodies bear remains of sacrificial offerings with redwood powder and both round base plates are decorated on the outside with a linear hatched pattern. Two beautiful, typically small sculptures with some small age-related damage: some pieces have broken off on both hairstyles (earlier insect damage) and half a base plate has broken off (an older breakage). Both ‘ibjei’ show a very good, old usage patina after years of domestic care (see the faces). Height: each c. 30 cm. First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
'Ibeji. The Cult of Yoruba Twins' by George Chemeche, ill. 30, 31,32, 34, 35.