Ibeji

Ibeji

Ibeji is the name of a pair of Orisha representing divine twins in the Yoruba religion of the Yoruba people. In the diasporic Yoruba spirituality of Latin America, Ibeji are syncretized with Saints Cosmas and Damian. In Yoruba culture and spirituality, twins are believed to be sacred, and are granted protection by the Orisha Shango. If one twin should die, it represents bad fortune for the parents and the society to which they belong. The parents therefore commission a babalawo to carve a wooden Ibeji to represent the deceased twin, and the parents take care of the figure as if it were a real person. Other than the sex, the appearance of the Ibeji figure is determined by the sculptor. The parents then dress and decorate the it to represent their own status, using clothing made from cowrie shells, as well as beads, coins, and paint.

Pantheon: Yoruba Culture: Yoruba Civilization: West Africa Period: 500 BCE – present

Source: Wikipedia