Ibeji Figures, What Are They?

Ibeji figures are small commemorative wood carvings made by the Yoruba tribe of West Africa . Ibeji figures are made to contain the soul and spiritual essence of a dead twin. Called Ere Ibeji( sacred ibeji). The word ibeji literally means twins. Yoruba families believe that caring for the carving of the dead twin will help the surviving sibling to flourish.


Each area or Yoruba land has its own particular style of depicting the ibeji figures and many regional styles and sub styles can be recognised. These charming figures are an art form in themselves and the distinct personality of each figure has made them a staple favourite with collectors.


The Yoruba are one of the most populous tribes in Africa . They have a cultural and religious tradition going back millennia. For unknown reasons the Yoruba have a higher incidence of twin births (ibeji) than any peoples anywhere in the world. In many African cultures, twin births have been historically regarded as ignominious; a herald of certain misfortune. Only in the animal kingdom were multiple births considered acceptable or natural. Twins were often killed at birth or secretly separated and given away or banished. During the reign of a Yoruba king during the 18 th century and probably because of a multiple birth in royal circles, a dramatic reversal in the perception of twins began amongst the Yoruba. From this period, twins were proclaimed as a blessing and the harbingers of luck and good fortune.


If both Yoruba twins die in childhood, two Ibeji figures are commissioned from a skilled carver who specialises in Ibeji. The carver is chosen by the family who supply him with offerings of food and drink during the process of carving. Once the ibeji is completed, a ceremony follows after which the ibeji is kept by the mother or other family. The ibeji figure is ceremonially blessed, offered food, washed and cleaned with cam wood powers. It is treated as a living entity for many years, often beyond the lifespan of any living person. The faces and bodies of many ibeji figures can be seen to be worn down from decades of rubbing and cleaning.


Many Yoruba carvers are known by name. Whole families of carvers passed this skill down through the generations until the 20 th century. Some Ibeji figures can be attributed to specific families or even individual carvers:


There are many know Yoruba artists of carvers. Some notable carvers:


- Olowe of Ise


- Arowogun of Osi


- Eshubiyi and son Akinyode of Abeokuta


- Adugbologe of Abeokuta area whose work is marked with a small triangle or square on the base.