THE TWINS (AMAWELE OR IBEJI)

Twins (Amawele or Ibeji) are viewed as sacred beings with a shared soul. They are considered a supernatural blessing from the ancestors or a divine gift. 

Twins are sometimes equated to ancestral spirits (ithongo); for example, in some traditions, they are never beaten because doing so is considered an offense against the spirits.

Twins are expected to receive identical treatment. If one is given a gift, the other must receive the exact same item to maintain spiritual equilibrium.

In many cultures, specific names are reserved for twins.

Some tribes plant two identical trees (e.g., euphorbia) ngesizulu Umhlonhlo, at the time of birth; the health and growth of each tree are believed to mirror the life and health of the corresponding twin.

Isiko elaziwa kakhulu ukuthi lapho kuzalwa amawele, kutshalwa imihlonhlo emibili ngasendlini (imvamisa ngakwesokunene somnyango). Lokhu kwenzelwa ukumela impilo yalawo mawele. Uma omunye umhlonhlo ubuna noma ufa, kukholelwa ukuthi nempilo yalelo wele isengozini.

Umhlonhlo utshalwa emizini eminingi njengesivikelo somuzi (protection). Kukholelwa ukuthi uvimbela imimoya emibi nemibani (umbane).

Nakuba lolu hlobo lwesitshalo luyingozi (lunobisi olushisayo nolunobuthi), lusetshenziswa ngongoti bezelapho zesintu (izinyanga) ukwelapha izifo ezithile, kodwa kumele luhlatshwe ngobunono obukhulu

When a twin passes away, the priority is to preserve the "shared soul" and prevent the deceased from pulling the surviving sibling into the spirit world. 

A dead twin is never said to have "died" but rather to have "flown" or moved to a different realm.

A surviving twin may be required to briefly lie in the grave of the deceased sibling or be rolled over ashes to spiritually separate their fates and "break" the connection that might otherwise cause the survivor to follow the deceased into death.

Dead twins are often buried in the clothes of the living twin (and vice versa) to prevent them from "brooding" over each other. In many cases, standard mourning practices like wearing black are prohibited, as the death of a sacred twin is handled with unique ritual care.