Twin Killing
Before the rise of Christianity in Igboland during the late 19th century and early 20th century, the Igbo considered the birth of twins (and other multiple births), like neighboring groups such as the Ibibio, as against nature and inherently evil. Multiple births were believed to be only what animals should produce, and humans were believed to be meant for single births. The reason behind this belief may have been that, because it was a rare occurrence, it was considered wrong.
The community generally killed twins by abandonment in the community's evil forest, or by direct attack. After the birth, the mother of the twins went through cleansing rituals to purify her from the birth. This practice has ended. This practice has no recorded history (neither oral nor written), so it is subject to controversy.
Read more about this topic: Igbo Culture
Famous quotes containing the words twin and/or killing:
“We live under continual threat of two equally fearful, but seemingly opposed, destinies: unremitting banality and inconceivable terror. It is fantasy, served out in large rations by the popular arts, which allows most people to cope with these twin specters.”
—Susan Sontag (b. 1933)
“Mortals are easily tempted to pinch the life out of their neighbour’s buzzing glory, and think that such killing is no murder.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)