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The Yoruba people live in Southwest Nigeria and Benin. Yorubaland is characterized by numerous densely populated urban centers with surrounding fields for farming. The Yoruba of Nigeria and of the Benin Republic are known for having an extraordinarily high rate of multiple births. The rate of twin births is one of the highest in the world, 45 of every 1,000 births? They have developed a variety of different artistic forms including pottery, weaving, beadwork, metalwork, and mask making. Most artwork is made to honor the gods and ancestors and since there are more then 401 known gods to the Yoruba there is much sculpture and artwork made. The Yoruba believe that when they die they enter the realm of the ancestors where they still have influence on earth. Maskers (egungun) appear at funerals and are believed to embody the spirit of the deceased person.IbejiIbejis (new born twins) are thought to have special powers to bring good or bad fortune, and for this reason they are catered to in a way that other are not. If a twin dies, a figure dedicated to Ibeji, the diety of twins, is carved to be the earthly abode of the spirit of that twin. The figure is nurtured by the mother and/or the surviving twin . Different hair styles, scarification, figure shape and style of carving indicate the origin of a figure |
External links
http://www.umma.umich.edu/view/past/2004-masterworks.html