These twin figure statuettes from Nigeria hold profound meaning for Nigerian communities, particularly within the Yoruba culture. In this article, Beulah reflects on her findings and the personal significance of seeing these objects on display in Belfast.
My first time seeing the twin figures at the Inclusive Global Histories Exhibition filled me with happiness and a deep connection to my home country. As someone with elder sisters who are twins, I instantly connected to the significance of the figures. The display in the gallery made me feel proud and happy to be in Belfast, experiencing a piece of home so far away and cultural recognition. I even invited my friends, and they were equally excited to witness the diversity in the collections.
The Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria carve twin figures, or Ere Ibeji, to honor and remember twins who have passed away. "Ibeji" refers to both twins and a divine pair of twins in Yoruba folklore, believed to live on in the afterlife in a realm called Adugbologe1.
The belief in the Ibeji spirit is central to Yoruba culture, where twins are regarded with reverence for their extraordinary powers and their ability to bring prosperity to their families.
In Yoruba tradition, the first-born twin is called Taiye ("first to taste the world") and the second-born, Kehinde ("the one who comes last"). These names carry deep spiritual significance, highlighting the importance of twins in Yoruba society. The artistry of the twins figure, reflects this reverence, with finely crafted details such as domed heads, elaborate hairstyles, and expressive eyes. These features are symbolic, representing virtues like beauty, moral goodness, and a connection to the divine2.
When a twin dies, the surviving family may create twin figure (Ere Ibeji), which are treated as sacred objects. They are cared for in a similar way to the living twin until the second twin’s death, after which the figures are placed in a shrine or kept in the home to honour the deceased. The practice of twin (Ibeji) worship is believed to have originated near Badagry, where the first twin shrine was established3.
Today, twin figure (Ere Ibeji) are admired for their spiritual significance and their aesthetic beauty, resonating with both local and international art enthusiasts.
Their presence in the Inclusive Global Histories exhibition provides an opportunity to explore the cultural richness of Yoruba traditions, bridging connections between the global African diaspora and the museum’s collections.
[1] Abiodun,(2014) Rowland. Yoruba Art and Language: Seeking the African in African Art. Cambridge UP, p23
[2] Dr. Peri Klemm Ere Ibeji Figures (Yoruba peoples) https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/west-africa/nigeria/a/ere-ibeji-figures-yoruba-peoples
[3] Csikszentmihalyi and E Rochberg-Halton 1999 The meaning of things: Domestic symbols and the self. Cambridge University Press
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