Yoruba Ibeji Twins with Yoruba Beading

Pair of Ibeji Twins (Ere Ibeji) with Elaborate Beaded Costumes

This pair of ibeji twins (ibeji means ‘born two’) are dressed lavishly with costumes and head covers that are heavily beaded in the manner of Yoruba beadwork. Ibeji twins do appear on the art market from time to time but matching Ibeji twin beadwork costumes are a great deal rarer. Robbins & Ingram Nooter (1989, p. 248-9) identify such beadwork costumes as belonging to twins of priestly or royal lineage.

Indeed, this actual pair are illustrated in Gillow, J.,

African Textiles: Colour and Creativity Across a Continent, Thames & Hudson, 2003 (page 105).

The costumes are beaded front and back, in bold geometric designs. The head covers are similarly decorated and are topped with small bird figures with attached wooden beaks. The beaded textile is attached to a thick, blue felt-like material, to hide the stitches and threads.

Crowns and regalia for the local

obas (kings) were made that featured beadwork from trade beads towards the end of the nineteenth century. Thereafter a cottage industry in beaded material arose and thrived into the twentieth century.

The costumes slip over each Ibeji figure. Without their costumes, the figures stand with their hands by their sides and with slightly bent knees. The heads are over-sized – one-third the size of their bodies – because for the Yoruba, the head is where the spirit resides. The costumes here were not necessarily made for this particular pair of Ibeji twins. The costumes and the twins appear to be of similar age. It is the costumes that is rarer component.

The tall blue coiffures of the twins are decorated with finely carved bands of chevron ornaments. They have thin pursed lips, fine ears and delicate aquiline noses. Their almond-shaped eyes protrude; their eyelids are thick and heavy. Their faces have a slightly lustrous patina due to wear. Two sets of vertical scarification are on their cheeks. Both have single strand bead necklaces.

Tukula powder is applied heavily to the bodies. Tukula was ground from tukula wood and used as both a cosmetic and for protection from insects and from the sun. Tukula was also believed to have healing properties and magical powers.

Rekitts Blue, much used in the 19th century and early 20th century, has been applied to the hair of both. (Rekitts Blue was a washing soda coloured with a blue aniline dye and was widely used as a source of blue pigment in many nineteenth tribal societies from South American Indians, across Africa, and to the aboriginal people of Australia.)

Each stands barefoot on a rounded platform.

As with all

ibeji twins, this pair is carved as adults, which is common in African sculpture. Though meant to represent children, their features are more mature, including facial scarification, full pointy breasts on the female, and a prominent penis on the male.

The condition of the twins is very good. There is a shrinkage-related crack to the head of one of the twins but other than that there are no chips or other losses. The costumes are in excellent condition without any loss to the beadwork.

Why is twin depiction so prevalent in Yoruba art forms? Giving birth to twins is common among the Yoruba. In fact, they are believed to have the highest dizygotic (non-identical) twinning rate in the world. The births of twins amongst Yoruba women are four times more prevalent than anywhere else in the world.

The Yoruba believe that twins share the one soul. If one twin dies, the balance of the soul will be troubled. Due to high infant mortality,

ibeji figures were carved as spiritual representations of the dead twins. These figures were commissioned from village carvers. Usually they were placed in the living area of the house and fed, bathed and dressed regularly. (The practice is not unlike the treatment of images of Hindu gods in Hindu households in India.) These figures are particularly special to the mother, who keeps them close to her and caresses them in a loving manner. Rituals and prayers are performed for the child’s birthday and other celebrations or festivals.

Traditionally, the parents would visit a priest called a

babalawo to determine the wishes of the deceased twin or twins.  Special names were given to each twin. The first twin is often named Taiyewo or Tayewo which means ‘the first to taste the world’, names which are often shortened to Taiwo, Taiye or Taye. The last born twin traditionally is named Kehinde.

The Yoruba believed that

Kehinde sends Taiyewo to find out what life is like on earth and in this way Taiyewo becomes the first child to be born. Taiyewo then communicates with Kehinde via his cries, explaining whether life is likely to be good or not. If Taiyewo determines that it will not be good then both of them will return from where they have come.Kehinde is considered the true elder of the twins despite being the last to be born. Kehinde is referred to as Omokehindegbegbon, ‘the eldest child who came last’, because of the privilege of sending Taiyewo on an errand. On the other hand, Taiyewo is referred to as Omotaiyelolu, ‘the child who first came to taste life’. In this way, the ibeji twins here are representations of Kehinde and Taiyewo, proxies for them and the means by which their soul can be appeased.

Today, the Yoruba people form one of the largest tribes in west Africa. They number around 30 million and are predominant in Nigeria where they comprise 21 per cent of the population. Most Yoruba speak the Yoruba language. Today, 60 per cent are Christians and another 30 per cent are Muslims. But many, especially in rural areas, still practise old Yoruba traditions such as those based around

ifa and orisha ibeji (twin worship).Illustrated

Gillow, J., African Textiles: Colour and Creativity Across a Continent, Thames & Hudson, 2003.

Fagg, W. & Pemberton, J. III., Yoruba: Sculpture of West Africa, Collins, 1982.

Robbins, W. & N Ingram Nooter,

African Art in American Collections, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989.

Bacquart, J. B.,

The Tribal Arts of Africa, Thames & Hudson, 1998.

Rowland, A., Drewal, H. J. & Pemberton, J. III.,

Yoruba: Art and Aesthetics, Museum Rietberg, Zurich, 1991.

Gillow, J.,

African Textiles: Colour and Creativity Across a Continent, Thames & Hudson, 2003.

Quarcoopome, N.O. (ed.),

Through African Eyes: The European in African Art, 1500 Years to Present, Detroit Institute of Arts, 2009.

UK art market