African Arts Gallery

The Ibeji, substitute images in African art.
Traditionally carved from iroko, the roots and leaves of which are also used for ritual purposes, this "ere" (statue) figure of a twin wears beaded adornments. Bright mahogany patina. Erosions.
In the language of the Yoruba people, ibeji means twin: ibi for born and eji for two. They represent the figure of a deceased twin. Thisibedjiis then treated as the missing child would have been. It is the mother who must take care of it; she can wash and feed him regularly. If it disappears, the remaining twin takes over. It also happened that a man had ibeji carved for his wife in order to induce pregnancy. Support of the twin's soul, the ibeji influences the life of the family, becoming a source of benefits towards his parents, the latter continuing to address him prayers and to devote worship and libations to him.
The occurrence of twinning is, among the Yoruba, higher than anywhere else in Black Africa. br> A detailed comparative study of the different regional styles was carried out by Fausto Polo and Jean David in the work Catalogue of the Ibeji.