Additional information
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Ewe Venavi Couple
This lovely pair come from the Ewe people of Togo. Although they appear to be an adult couple they are in fact a representation of children born as twins and lost before their time. Like the Fon and the Yoruba, the Ewe venerate twins. Upon the death of one or both twins, whether in childhood or later in life, surviving relatives commission the carving of a figure or “venavi” to represent the child and receive blessings. This pair, 6.5″ and 5.5″ respectively, are otherwise identical in age and wear. They most likely date to the 1960s. Their features are geometrically and economically rendered, yet they are expressive. Mounted together on a single base.
