Twin venavi from Togo. Old part of over 50 years.
The South-Togo and South Ghana region has the particularity of seeing many twins are born. The exact reason for this phenomenon is unknown. Mortality is important in this case. This gives rise to the production of curious wooden statuettes which represent the deceased twins.
On the east coast of the Gulf of Benin, a birth is a happy event that intervenes in the context that connects life to death. The belief in reincarnation is still alive, despite the influence of Christianity. At the birth of a child, you have to listen to the ancestors through soothsayers or those who practice necromancy. There are some births to which one must attach special attention. It is the births that arise "feet in front". We must venerate them so as not to attract the anger of these "half-gods" to his home.
The birth of twins, twins or tripled is just as full of meaning. Multiple births, in maternity or hospital, or more naturally among traditional births, are frequent in this region. We necessarily ask questions. Were they born naturally, by presenting the head first? Has one of them presented their feet first? Who was first released? The child's first name depends on these corollaries. The soothsayer determines "the tree from which the babies went down". Is the twist lineage paternal or maternal? A lineage representative questions babies: "Foreign, you have no names yet, have you come to visit us or do you stay with us?" If it is to visit us, you can leave immediately, but if it is to be ours, you are welcome. ” He then makes a libation. This is reproduced for eight to sixteen days of the diviner's decision. Then comes the rite of the exit to the village of the twins. In the morning the parents go into the bush, near the house, to pick herbs intended for the ceremony. They symbolize the bush where the arrows, the quiver and the hoods that everyone uses in everyday life are made. When they come home they perform songs where the bravery and the valor of the twins are exalted. Dances are executed around a bushel.
Each deposits the herbs picked. A boy, if it's twins, a girl, if they are binoculars, or a boy and a girl if they are false twin, proceed to the exit of babies. Children are deposited on the bushel and herbs. Their father enters the circle and he is placed on his head the babies in the basket. If we did not offend them, the father can dance with the basket on his head without bringing down one of them. But if one of them risks falling, the dancers stop and we sacrifice two roosters or two hens, depending on the sex of the children.
After this ritual, it is the duty of parents to raise an altar where the babies will come to "eat and drink". It consists of a small terracotta pot called Bozi; two slightly larger pots that can contain half a liter of water; a sum of 3 x 35 FCFA; a small traditional manufacturing knife; Cauris shells; a palm branch; white, red and black fabric; two roosters or two hens, depending on the sex of babies; one liter of palm oil; red bean. The sponsor proceeds to the elevation of the altar with petted land, which sometimes causes nausea. To grasp something for the constitution of this altar, it is necessary to immerse your hand in one of the pots. You have to be initiated, otherwise you become your life.
The early death of the twins The twins are beings which must be taken care of, otherwise they may leave you to "go get firewood". That is to say die. They return to the tree from which they come. When one or more twins die, parents should not cry. To express their presence among humans, they must be represented by a statuette. In her trips, the mother must keep this statuette on her. At home, at the time of the meal, one must leave in a dish, in front of the statuette, part of the food that the soul of the child will come to eat. If the mother dies, a member of the line should periodically give food to these children who are not really dead. For this purpose, red bean with lots of palm oil are prepared for this purpose. We often choose Friday to make these sacrifices.