The mother, Tatiana, confesses me: "It hurts me that Paterna has gone to the forest". She should not complain about the death of her twin, nor should she show any sadness in public. The family will no...
Each year, twins statues are blessed and are spoiled with candies. They love sweets says Kpsouayo. A big celebration takes place every october 25 in the country to bless the twins, dead or alive, who...
Eric has asked a charpenter to build a miniature version of the Paterne bed for her twin sister hohovi Paterna. In order to avoid jealousy between the wins and keep a perfect balance between the both....
Eric is an English teacher in Ouidah. He lives in a modern house with his wife Tatiana. Despite their social stature, they still practices in the cult of the twins: Paterna died when she was a baby. H...
When the parents go to make clothing for the family, Paterna also get clothing from the same cloth like her old bro Edouard on the picture. Like that, everyone looks like part of the same team. When P...
Mrs. Kpsouayo on Dedoukodji Beach. She is a fisherman wife. She had two twins. She washes them once a month in the sea to purify them by the goddess of the water. Kpsouayo est lâpouse dâun pêcheur. S...
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, mrs kpsouayo carrying the carved wooden figures made to house the soul of her dead twins on the beach. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, mrs kpsouayo carrying the carved wooden figures made to house the soul of her dead twins on the beach. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, mrs kpsouayo carrying the carved wooden figures made to house the soul of her dead twins on the beach. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, mrs kpsouayo carrying the carved wooden figures made to house the soul of her dead twins. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, mrs kpsouayo carrying the carved wooden figures made to house the soul of her dead twins. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, paterne with the carved wooden figure made to house the soul of his dead twin paterna. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, edouard takes cares of the carved wooden figure made to house the soul of his dead sister paterna. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, eric and his son paterne with the carved wooden figure made to house the soul of their dead twin paterna. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, eric and his son paterne with the carved wooden figure made to house the soul of their dead twin paterna. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Benin, West Africa, Ouidah, eric, tatiana, and their son paterne in front of the carved wooden figure made to house the soul of their dead twin paterna. Photography by Eric Lafforgue / Hans Lucas
Once a twin dies, a wooden statue called the "hohovi" is carved, within which the spirit of the dead child is placed. These figurines are deified and treated almost exactly like the living children. F...
"Twins love Fanta and Coca Cola" says the mother. In the voodoo rituals, if someone wishes for a more peaceful life, sugar is equated with this peace. In giving sugar to the statues, you increase the...
Hounyoga lives in Bopa. The hohovis are placed so that they peer out of the front garment of the mother, for everyone to see. The parents have a spiritual obligation to ask for alms in a market or in...
40% of the worldâs twins are born in Africa. Beninâs Fon people have one of the highest occurrences at 1 in 20 births. The high rate of infant mortality and voodoo religion.But the high mortality rate...
