I am looking for an article for my students to summarize this fall and have been considering one about twins in Africa (I think Yoruba is the place in Africa that has one of the highest DZ twinning rates in the world?). Anyway, there were a few parts which I found pretty interesting...
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The acceptance of twins into Yoruba society was due to a number of factors; one was the ambivalent feeling connected with their birth and death, in the sense that twins were feared and that in order to escape from this fear, it was transformed into joy. Furthermore, it was believed that they were of divine origin, being representatives of the twins-god (orisa-ibeji), and possessing supernatural powers: this made them the subject of reverence. Finally, with the high incidence of infant mortality, it appeared prudent to accept the birth of two infants in the hope that
at least one would survive infancy.
In the event of the death of one of them, a wooden statuette (called ibeji because it represents the deceased twin and the generic name for twins is ibeji) is carved in the image of the deceased twin.9 This precaution evolves from the belief that twins possess one soul between the two of them, and with the death of one, the living twin could not be expected to live with half a soul.
...
At her next confinement, his wife bore twins who did survive infancy; his other wives also gave birth to twins, and the farmer became prosperous and famous. Since that time and until the present time, twins have been welcomed into Yoruba families because they are believed to be representatives of the
orisa-ibeji (twins-god) and to have great powers as a result of their divine origin. From this belief, there arises an obligation to revere and honour them with sacrificial offerings.
The Yoruba principle of seniority and the tradition of nomenclature is reflected in the
names given to all twins, 'Taiwo' and 'Kehinde.' These are fixed names which are universal among the Yoruba. The principle of seniority is shown by the fact that 'Taiwo' is the name given to the first-born of the twins, who is regarded as the junior in rank because he or she is sent ahead of the senior one to see what the world is like - in the Yoruba system, only seniors send juniors on errands. The name 'Taiwo' comes from To aiye, 'To taste the world.' The name for a second-born twin, 'Kehinde,' means 'he who lags behind.' Both names are applicable to both sexes.
...
The birth of twins proclaims joy, happiness, good luck and prosperity to the parents.
...
From
The Magical Powers of Twins in the Socio-Religious Beliefs of the Yoruba
by Taiwo Oruene
Folklore, Vol. 96, No. 2. (1985), pp. 208-216.
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Pretty cool stuff, don't you think?
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The acceptance of twins into Yoruba society was due to a number of factors; one was the ambivalent feeling connected with their birth and death, in the sense that twins were feared and that in order to escape from this fear, it was transformed into joy. Furthermore, it was believed that they were of divine origin, being representatives of the twins-god (orisa-ibeji), and possessing supernatural powers: this made them the subject of reverence. Finally, with the high incidence of infant mortality, it appeared prudent to accept the birth of two infants in the hope that
at least one would survive infancy.
In the event of the death of one of them, a wooden statuette (called ibeji because it represents the deceased twin and the generic name for twins is ibeji) is carved in the image of the deceased twin.9 This precaution evolves from the belief that twins possess one soul between the two of them, and with the death of one, the living twin could not be expected to live with half a soul.
...
At her next confinement, his wife bore twins who did survive infancy; his other wives also gave birth to twins, and the farmer became prosperous and famous. Since that time and until the present time, twins have been welcomed into Yoruba families because they are believed to be representatives of the
orisa-ibeji (twins-god) and to have great powers as a result of their divine origin. From this belief, there arises an obligation to revere and honour them with sacrificial offerings.
The Yoruba principle of seniority and the tradition of nomenclature is reflected in the
names given to all twins, 'Taiwo' and 'Kehinde.' These are fixed names which are universal among the Yoruba. The principle of seniority is shown by the fact that 'Taiwo' is the name given to the first-born of the twins, who is regarded as the junior in rank because he or she is sent ahead of the senior one to see what the world is like - in the Yoruba system, only seniors send juniors on errands. The name 'Taiwo' comes from To aiye, 'To taste the world.' The name for a second-born twin, 'Kehinde,' means 'he who lags behind.' Both names are applicable to both sexes.
...
The birth of twins proclaims joy, happiness, good luck and prosperity to the parents.
...
From
The Magical Powers of Twins in the Socio-Religious Beliefs of the Yoruba
by Taiwo Oruene
Folklore, Vol. 96, No. 2. (1985), pp. 208-216.
******************
Pretty cool stuff, don't you think?