Ibeji Figure Oyo – Wood – Yoruba – Nigeria

Appealing Ibeji  figure of the YORUBA tribe of Nigeria. Style: Oyo

Among the Yoruba people twins are regarded as something special. They have their own god, ‘Ere Ibeji’, are honoured in a separate cult and are considered to bring good fortune and blessing to their family. Another peculiarity is that, among the Yoruba, twins are thought to share one and same soul! Should one of them die, a vicarious figure of wood is carved for him (or her). This guarantees that the common ‘twin soul’ is complete again. These figures, called ‘Ibeji’, are placed on specific domestic altars and treated like living twins: they are washed, fed, cuddled, sung to, brought sacrificial offerings and honoured.

Warm expression with  a beautiful aged patina, in good condition.

Provenance: former private collection from Germany.

Yoruba peoples have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twins are regarded as extraordinary beings protected by Sango, the deity of thunder. In the Oyo region, they are believed to be capable of bestowing immense wealth upon their families or misfortune to those who do not honor them. Powerful spirits in life, twins are honored with carved memorial figures when they die. These figures, known as ere ibeji (literally meaning ere: sacred image; ibi: born; eji: two), remain a point of access to the spirit of the departed individual. The mother provides ritual care to the figures, bathing, dressing, adorning, and feeding them. Such daily handling is responsible for giving their surface its distinctive patina. Ere ibeji invariably represent their subjects with mature adult physiognomies, and are often crowned with elaborate hairdos.