ere ibeji (twin figure)

unrecorded Oyo artist, artist

ere ibeji (twin figure), late 1800s–1975

Where object was made: North Oyo, Nigeria

Material/technique: beads; pigment; wood; carving; string

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 24 x 10.5 x 9.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Depth (Height x Width x Depth): 9 7/16 x 4 1/8 x 3 3/4 in

Credit line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. H. Kenneth Palmer

Accession number: 2007.2691

Not on display

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Forms of Thought

According to Yoruba culture, twins are “children of thunder.” They are sacred, consecrated to Shango—the orisha deity who controls thunder. Like Shango, twins are believed to be spirited, unpredictable, and fearless. If a twin should die, his or her parents would consult a diviner to determine how the deceased twin might be placated so that he/she does not tempt the living twin to join him/her. A carved figure, or ibeji, may be created to venerate the deceased. The family maintains balance by caring for the carved figure alongside the surviving twin. Photographs and plastic toy dolls often perform the function of ibeji figures in contemporary times.