Ewe Venavi With Worn Face

Herbert Cole argues that figures such as this, often called dolls, should rightly be called “child images”. After all, they are not for child’s play. Like the Fon and Yoruba to their west, the Ewe people of Togo and Ghana have a cult of twins. The birth of twins in these communities is traditionally seen as both a blessing and a responsibility. Twin births are believed to be the result of spiritual influence. It is proscribed that each child must be dressed the same and fed together so as not to arouse their capricious nature. And because twins were prone to a higher rate of mortality than other births and understood to be psychically forever linked to their surviving twin , special attention was required in the case of the death of one, or both. Such an event required Ewe mothers to acquire a doll in the marketplace (or to have one carved in the home) and to have it consecrated by spiritualist to act as the home of the deceased spirit. Thereafter it would be the duty of the deceased mother or sister or aunt to look after the carved figurine or venavi (literally twin.) The caring of venavis required ritual feeding and washing but varied in terms of the particulars between communities and individuals. This carving is well worn from ritual feeding and rubbing of the face which has all but lost its features. Old age crack from repeated washings visible only from behind.

8.75″

Inquire About This Item