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 * [[image:http://www.famsf.org/fam/education/publications/guide-african/part2-28.jpg width="175" height="283" align="bottom" link="http://www.famsf.org/fam/education/publications/guide-african/28.html"]] ||
 * http://www.famsf.org/fam/education/publications/guide-african/part-2-6.html ||


 * __What is this object and why was it made?__ **
 * Matthew H P1:**The object is a Ibeji. It is made to commemorate the death of a twin child. The mom cares for it like a real child so the deceased child's spirit does not convince the live child's spirit to go to the spirit world. It is nine inches tall. They are made by the Yoruba people of Nigeria because they had a very high rate of twins, and also many of the twins died.

**Joanna W P**2: The statue comes from Yoruba, Nigeria and is nine inches tall. The statue is called "ibeji" and was made to tell about the death of twins and to protect twins. In Yoruba, Nigeria there is a high rate of twins but it is very likely that one or both twins will die. The mother of the twins treats this Ibeji well so that the living child's spirit is not persuaded into going to the spirit world. The statue is made of wood, leather, glass, cotton, plastic, shell, and vegetable fiber. **Maaya D P6:** This piece of artwork is called an ibeji. Ibeji's are used in the African culture when a twin dies. The mother of the twins cares for the ibeji as if it were her own twin. The mother would bathe it, feed it, and dress it. The Africans do this because they believed that when one of the twins die, it's soul tries to convince the living twin to come and join the spirit world along with him/her. The only remedy would be to take care of the ibeji as said. This also helps the mother get over the death of the first child.
 * RachelT P2: This object is called the ibeji and is made to be put in the place of a dead twin. When one of the mother's twins dies, then she makes and ibeji . She will care for the ibeji just like it is her real child by feeding it, rubbing it with special oils and dressing it. This object is a small 9 inch figure that helps many mothers get over the death of one child. **

** __ What power does an  __ **//** __ibeji__ **//** __have?__ **
 * Matthew H P1:**The Ibeji has the power to keep the other twin from dying it can also bring good luck. The Yoruba people believed that a twins have one soul which is split at birth.


 * Joanna W P2** : If a parent takes care of a ibeji then their twins will have good luck and be safe. If the Ibeji is not treated well and cared for then the dead twin could convince the living twin to come live in the spirit world. They believed that when a twin was born they had a good and bad side that was split in half and one twin got the bad side and one got the good side. Usually the twin with the bad side dies and then the twin's spirit could get the other twin's soul to come to the spirit world if the mother doesn't care for the Ibeji.
 * RachelT P2**: The power that an ibeji has is that when it dies, it can try to persuade the living twin to come and join the spirit world and die. This scares many parents and is a way that can easily kill their living twin. Also when the twins are born, the "good and bad" sides are split into halfs and one of them goes to each twin. The twin that dies usually had the "bad" half.
 * Maaya D P6:** The ibeji has lots of power. The ibeji can supposedly save the living twin from dying because dying twin is supposedly trying to convince the living twin to join him/her in the 'world of spirits'. So, basically, the ibeji has the power to overcome death, a life-long searched remedy. But, this only works if you take care of the ibeji very well because if you don't, then, the living twin would die.
 * __ How does this  __ **//** __ibeji__ **//** __demonstrate that its owner was wealthy?__ **
 * Matthew H P1**:The Ibeji demonstrates that the is wealthy by having elaborate beaded gown and strings of cowry shells. Beads and shells are signs of wealth and prestige in many African Societies.

**     **Joanna W P2**: If an ibeji is dressed up in nice beaded gowns it shows that the owner is wealthy. Since the mother cares for the ibeji as a her own child she wants to dress it up nice and make her child look nice. She also wants to make it look like she cares for the ibeji and gives it rich clothing. She gives the Ibeji a beaded gown and strings of cowry shell which symbolizes and shows wealth. The ibeji is a way for her to protect her children and show off.
 * RachelT P2: The ibeji demonstrates that its owner is wealthy by wearing an elaborate bead gown. They might also wear beads or cowry shells hanging down from the gown. Beads and cowry shells are a sign of wealth in the African society.


 * Maaya D P6:** The ibeji demonstrates that its owner was wealthy because the ibeji is dressed in a beaded gown and hanging off of the gown are cowry shells. These two objects demonstrate the wealth of the family because they both symbolize how wealthy a family is because usually richer and royal people wear beaded gowns and cowry shells. Basically, the objects symbolize wealth.