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Mourning twins: Fon rituals
Losing both twins is one of the greatest spiritual shocks in Fon culture. Here are the collective rituals that accompany this exceptional grief.
A cosmic rupture
Losing both Hoho is interpreted as a major cosmic imbalance. The family immediately consults a bokonon to understand its meaning.
Two carved Hohovi
To fill the void, people carve two Hohovi statuettes. They are treated like living twins — dressed, fed and spoken to every day.
These statuettes can be kept for 50+ years, passed down from generation to generation.
A grand Hùn-fínfɛ́n
The elevation ceremony is grander than for a single twin. It involves:
Support
Fon culture offers a precise ritual framework for this exceptional grief. Rather than a stigmatizing silence, the whole clan commits to supporting the family for years.
Honoring rather than forgetting
The double mourning of twins mobilizes the whole community. The Hohovi rituals turn loss into a lasting spiritual bond.
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