Yoruba
Kisi or Old Oyo, Oyo region, Nigeria
Coastal West Africa
Twin Figures (Ere Ibeji)
INV-1895
Yoruba
Kisi or Old Oyo, Oyo region, Nigeria
Coastal West AfricaEarly/mid–20th century
Twin Figures (Ere Ibeji)
Yoruba Kisi or Old Oyo, Oyo region, Nigeria Coastal West Africa →yorubaCoastal West AfricaArts of Africaafrican Artsculpturestatuette
Date
Early/mid–20th century
Medium
Wood, glass beads, and thread
Dimensions
1982.1514: 26.7 × 8.9 × 8.3 cm (10 1/2 × 3 1/2 × 3 1/4 in.); 1982.1513 : 26.1 × 8.3 × 7.7 cm (10 1/4 × 3 1/4 × 3 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Deborah Stokes and Jeffrey Hammer
The Yoruba of Nigeria believe that twins possess special powers and bring good fortune to those who honor them properly. However, babies birthed in multiples have an increased risk of dying during infancy. Figures like these, called ère ìbejì, are memorials to deceased twins. When one twin dies, a single sculpture is commissioned; if both infants die, a sculptor creates two. The figures are ritually washed, dressed, and offered favorite foods. The heads of this pair have been repeatedly bathed with indigo, symbolizing the calming of the spirit’s inner being.
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