Twins and Society

Traditionally, within what is today a peaceful continent, the birth of twins was seen as an event of great significance in Africa, though some cultures regarded it as a great blessing while others perceived it to be an omen of ill.

For example, a woman who bore twins that died, kept two small pots in her house, as effigies of the children into which she milks herself every evening, and will continue to do so for five months, fulfilling the time appointed by nature for suckling children, lest the spirits of the dead should persecute her. The twins were not buried as ordinary people are buried underground, but placed in an earthenware pot used for holding beer. They were taken to the jungle and placed by the tree, with the pot turned mouth downwards.

Further on the death of the child, she smears herself with butter and ashes and runs frantically about, tearing her hair and bewailing piteously, whilst the men of the place use towards her the foulest language apparently in abuse of her person, but in reality to frighten away the demons who have robbed her nest.

 In another province, twins were ordered to be killed and thrown into water the moment they are born, lest droughts and famines should oppress the land. Should anyone attempt to conceal the twins, the whole family would be murdered by the chief. However, in some other cases, if the birth of twins increased the number of a family size, they were accepted with delight.