The birth of twins: an extraordinary event
Between fascination and concern
The simultaneous arrival of two babies disrupts the expected order of birth. This unusual event evokes both admiration and concern, fascination and fear. Twins embody a kind of excess: too much life at once, too much resemblance, too much mystery.
A unique social status for the mother of twins
In many societies, the mother of twins is given a special status. Her fertility is recognized, sometimes celebrated, but also burdened with specific symbolic and social responsibilities.
Twins in African beliefs: between the world of spirits and supernatural powers
A birth linked to the invisible world
The arrival of African twins signifies both the fertility of their mother and an intrusion of the spirit world into human life. Thus, in the past, in some African societies, they were killed in order to return them to their spirit parents.
From fear to veneration
Currently, twins, as well as their mothers, are honored; giving a gift to twins or their mother brings good fortune. Their connection to the spirit world grants them supernatural powers: healing gifts, but also the ability to become malevolent sorcerers if angered.
Balance, jealousy, and protective rituals
It is preferred that they be of the same sex, because boys and girls have a reputation for constantly arguing. Their discord sometimes explains a difference in weight, or even the death of one of them, accusing their twin of having taken their life force.
It is therefore important to feed, dress, and cuddle the twins equally so that neither is jealous of the other. If they get along well, the damage they can cause will be less.
Twins and superstitions in Asia: preventing chaos
Avoid twinning
Vietnamese women traditionally strive to avoid having twins. A number of precautionary measures exist for this purpose, such as avoiding eating—or even buying—two bananas stuck together.
The fear of twins of opposite sexes
When twins are of opposite sexes, there is a growing risk of complications, including the early death of one of them. This type of twin birth is perceived as particularly unstable and dangerous.
When twinship becomes a blessing
Fertility celebrated
In Réunion, on the contrary, the announcement of twins is excellent news. It testifies to the fertility of the mother and the virility of the father, and fits into a positive and valued interpretation of twin births.
The persistence of a twin-like imaginary in the contemporary world
A gradual erosion of traditional beliefs
Most of the customs, beliefs and superstitions associated with twins seem to be fading away today, especially in Western societies.
Festivals and symbols: an enduring fascination
However, the resurgence of twin festivals (in France, Canada, China, West Africa or the United States) and the frequent use of their symbolic imagery prove the enduring power of twinship in contemporary cultures.
Twins, a universal symbol of human duality
Between luck and bad luck
In many cultures around the world, the birth of twins can be interpreted as a sign of blessing or curse, divine protection or supernatural danger.
Love, rivalry, and ambivalence
Twins embody an ambivalent personality. They symbolize the fundamental duality of human beings: love and hate, harmony and conflict, complicity and jealousy.
Two bodies, one soul
They are said to have a dual physical appearance, while sharing a single soul. As Victor Turner points out: "twinhood presents this paradox that what is physically double is structurally unique and that what is supernaturally one is empirically two."