Twins Cult in Dahomey

The Twins Cult in Dahomey and later in Republic of Benin is part of a broader set of beliefs and religious practices deeply rooted in West African societies. This cult, predominantly practiced among the Adja, Fon, and Anago peoples, reflects a cosmology in which supernatural forces and social organization are closely intertwined. To fully understand this veneration, it is essential to examine the symbolic role of twins, their place in social structures, and how this practice persists in a context of cultural and religious changes.

The Genesis of the Twin Cult

As documented by Christian Merlo in 1977 in issue 22 of Arts d'Afrique Noire:

In 1830, the Lander brothers, during their expedition to discover the course and mouth of the Niger River, observed women carrying small wooden figurines representing children. Since then, many travelers and ethnographers, including Melville Herskovits, have documented the cult dedicated to deceased twins. Herskovits highlighted that if one draws a north-south line on a map of western Nigeria, twins are venerated to the west of this line, while they are viewed with aversion to the east.

However, according to T.J.H. Cappel, who conducted research among the Yoruba people, it was once common to kill twins and their mother, as the birth of twins was considered a punishment from the Orisha. It was in Isokun, a village near present-day Porto-Novo (formerly Dahomey), that a family was first granted permission by the Ifa oracle to keep their newborn twins alive. This event, dated around 1750, set a precedent among Yoruba rulers, establishing the veneration of twins. This is fundamental in dating the origin of the cult, whose roots likely lie in the Fon and Ewe societies, long before the appearance of Yoruba twin statuettes, whose antiquity does not exceed the second half of the 18th century.

The Sacred Status of Twins: Beings Set Apart

In traditional Beninese societies, twins, called ibeji among the Anago (descendants of the Yoruba from Nigeria) and hohovi (children of Hoho, a spirit symbolizing duality) among the Adja and Fon, are considered beings endowed with a divine essence. Unlike other cultures where multiple births might be perceived negatively, in Benin and formerly in Dahomey, they are generally celebrated as a blessing. This belief is largely due to the idea that twins are direct emanations from the spirit world, having a unique closeness to supernatural forces.

Twins are thus seen as intermediaries between the world of the living and the deities. Indeed, their birth is interpreted as a tangible manifestation of the power of ancestors or gods. They embody a sacred duality, often reflecting concepts of balance and cosmic harmony.

Twin Worship and Religiosity: Rites and Practices

Twin worship is accompanied by numerous rites and ritual practices. These ceremonies serve to honor the twins and ensure their goodwill. It is common, for example, for families to make figurines in the image of the twins, much like the famous Ibeji of the Yoruba (an identical cult, though later and more documented). These ritual objects, often carved from wood, hold spiritual significance and are treated as real family members, especially when one of the twins dies. It then becomes necessary to maintain the connection with the spirit of the deceased child through these representations, thereby ensuring the family's protection and prosperity.

The making of these figurines, once deeply ritualized, followed specific prescriptions. The sculptor had to faithfully represent the sex of the deceased and sometimes integrate elements related to the specific conditions of birth, such as the fetus's positions, which foretold the child's destiny and dictated ritual names. Whether a master or a village artisan, the sculptor would carefully shape the wood according to memorized proportions, gradually revealing the forms of bodies, heads, and limbs from a raw wooden cylinder. These works were then polished, sometimes pyrographed, and adorned with ritual bead necklaces. The size of the figurines generally varied between 10 and 25 cm, and their stylistic characteristics reflected the diversity of sculptors and local traditions. These works also bore distinctive marks of the clans or brotherhoods to which the deceased belonged, expressed through ritual scarifications or symbols like triangles representing birth accidents. Thus, each figurine was custom-designed to reflect the mystical dimension of the deceased individual.

It is often noted that these figurines, though inspired by deceased children, have the appearance of adults. This is explained by the artisan’s desire to make sexual attributes visible or to embody the symbolic power of maturity. The diversity of styles also reflects the evolution of artistic practices. Some sculptors gained great renown, attracted by royal courts, where they spread their art, contributing to the creation of refined court art that influenced popular productions. Each sculptor’s style was unique, based on the transmission of techniques and knowledge from an ancient tradition.

Offerings, usually consisting of food or symbolic objects, are made to appease the twins and keep them in a favorable state. Families implore their protection and blessing, as it is also believed that discontented twins can cause disorder in human affairs, bringing diseases or other calamities.

Families with twins are often perceived as privileged. This spiritual relationship grants them a form of protection, but it also imposes specific ritual responsibilities. The veneration of twins must be maintained, not only for the immediate family's well-being but also to ensure balance and harmony within the community.

The Twin Cult Today in the Republic of Benin (Former Dahomey)

With the decline of traditional practices in Benin (and the disappearance of the cult in Nigeria since the 1950s), the ritual has been simplified. Today, mothers buy mass-produced figurines in the market, devoid of the distinctive marks once engraved by sculptors. However, the principle of duality persists, and the cult is still active in Benin and neighboring Togo: twins, whether living or symbolized, must be treated strictly equally. The figurines must receive the same care, clothing, and rituals as living children, to avoid offending the protective spirit and provoking its wrath.

Although deeply rooted in local beliefs, the twin cult has had to adapt to the social and religious upheavals of recent centuries. With the arrival of Christianity, Islam, and more recently Pentecostal movements, some of these traditional practices have been questioned or rejected. However, far from disappearing, the twin cult has managed to integrate into new religious configurations. It is not uncommon to see families who, while declaring themselves Christian or Muslim, continue to honor their twins through ancestral practices.

In parallel, the revival of traditional religions and the growing importance of spiritual tourism in Benin have given the twin cult a new vitality. Ceremonies are organized for visitors seeking to discover these traditions, and the cult is sometimes reinterpreted in more modern contexts while remaining faithful to its roots.

A Cult at the Crossroads of History and Spirituality

The twin cult in Dahomey (modern-day Benin's Republic) is a striking example of how traditional religious beliefs can structure social, spiritual, and cultural life. Rooted in a worldview where invisible forces and family relationships are closely intertwined, this cult reflects the depth of West African cosmologies and their ability to endure and adapt in the face of contemporary challenges.

The importance of twins in Beninese culture is not limited to a purely religious dimension. They also embody a model of social cohesion, respect for ancestors, and balance between the visible and invisible worlds. It is this symbolic and spiritual richness that has allowed the twin cult to survive through the centuries and continue influencing the cultural and religious life of Republic of Benin today.