Ibeji - Nigeria
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Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Description from the seller
A female Ibeji doll, Nigeria, with signs of age and ritual use. Certificate of origin and provenance.
The Yoruba in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin are known for their exceptionally high rate of multiple births. The twin birth rate is one of the highest in the world: 45 out of 1,000 births (compared to 28.9 out of 1,000 in the United States). There is also a high mortality rate; half of the twins die shortly after birth.
In the past, it was believed that newborn twins, or Ibeji as they are called, were evil, monstrous deformities, and child murder was a common practice. However, such beliefs and practices were later superseded and reversed, and by the mid-18th century, twins were regarded as a blessing; they were granted the status of minor deities called Orishas, and their arrival was seen as an omen of good fortune for the family. In the 19th century, the cult of Ere Ibeji was well established and continues to this day. The death of one or both twins is considered a great misfortune for the family, requiring immediate appeasement of the child's spirit.
The firstborn twin, whether boy or girl, is always called Taiwo, which means 'first to experience the world,' while the second is called Kehinde, meaning 'coming after the other.' Although Taiwo was born first, he is considered the younger twin. His older Kehinde is supposed to send his partner out to see what the outside world looks like. Once Taiwo signals by crying, Kehinde will follow. Kehinde is expected to be more cautious, intelligent, and thoughtful, while Taiwo is seen as more curious and adventurous, but also more relaxed (Olaleye-Oruene, 1983; Stoll & Stoll, 1980).
Lit.: Polo/David, Catalog, 2001. Polo, Encyclopedia, 2008. Stoll, Ibeji, 1980. Jantzen/Bertsch, Doppel-Leben, 1993. Mareidi and Gert Stoll, Ibeji, Twin figures of the Yoruba, 1980.
A female Ibeji doll, Nigeria, with signs of age and ritual use. Certificate of origin and provenance.
The Yoruba in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin are known for their exceptionally high rate of multiple births. The twin birth rate is one of the highest in the world: 45 out of 1,000 births (compared to 28.9 out of 1,000 in the United States). There is also a high mortality rate; half of the twins die shortly after birth.
In the past, it was believed that newborn twins, or Ibeji as they are called, were evil, monstrous deformities, and child murder was a common practice. However, such beliefs and practices were later superseded and reversed, and by the mid-18th century, twins were regarded as a blessing; they were granted the status of minor deities called Orishas, and their arrival was seen as an omen of good fortune for the family. In the 19th century, the cult of Ere Ibeji was well established and continues to this day. The death of one or both twins is considered a great misfortune for the family, requiring immediate appeasement of the child's spirit.
The firstborn twin, whether boy or girl, is always called Taiwo, which means 'first to experience the world,' while the second is called Kehinde, meaning 'coming after the other.' Although Taiwo was born first, he is considered the younger twin. His older Kehinde is supposed to send his partner out to see what the outside world looks like. Once Taiwo signals by crying, Kehinde will follow. Kehinde is expected to be more cautious, intelligent, and thoughtful, while Taiwo is seen as more curious and adventurous, but also more relaxed (Olaleye-Oruene, 1983; Stoll & Stoll, 1980).
Lit.: Polo/David, Catalog, 2001. Polo, Encyclopedia, 2008. Stoll, Ibeji, 1980. Jantzen/Bertsch, Doppel-Leben, 1993. Mareidi and Gert Stoll, Ibeji, Twin figures of the Yoruba, 1980.
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