Who is the orixá Ibeji?

Although more easily identified as one, the deity known by the name Ibeji represents two twin brothers. Because he is an important entity in many beliefs, many names are given to this deity in different religions and cultures, but the meaning and importance always remain the same.

The brothers that together form this orixá are very much associated with birth and the beginning of new cycles because they are children. Because they are twins, they also represent duality and justice. The magic of Ibeji, besides the protection he grants to children and babies, is his childlike look on the world: the joy of a child and the great positivity that permeates the hearts of his children.

In this article, you can understand a little more about the history, aspects and offerings of this orixá. Check it out!

Knowing more about Ibeji

If the interest in Ibeji has been awakened in you, it is time to delve a little deeper into the history of this wonderful orixá, who awakens the childlike eyes and all the joy of the childlike spirit that inhabits us. Check out his history and his aspects below!

History and Origin

Taiwo and Kehinde are the twins represented as the orixá Ibeji. He is believed to be the most powerful among the orixás, being able to interfere in anyone's deeds.

When human, the twins were very close and brought luck to all those who consulted with them. Their childlike looks helped them find solutions to almost anything, but during a mischievous prank, one of the brothers fell into a waterfall and ended up drowning.

Suffering a lot for the death of his brother, the second one asked in his prayers that the two could be together again - prayer that was answered. When he disincarnated, as a comfort for relatives and close people, he left two clay dolls representing them.

Features and appearance

Some versions of the legend about the life of the Ibeji brothers say that they were a couple. Others say that they were two boys, or that they were two girls. The fact is that, in most of the images that represent the two, one thing resembles: ornaments and body paintings are always present in the dolls.

The most striking characteristic, however, is their personality: with their childlike manner, playful, mischievous and with an easy smile, the orixá who rules the most amusing memories and childhood games has a light way of seeing life, with the pure innocence of children.

The relationship of Ibeji with other orixás

Being the biological children of Iansã and Xangô and adopted children of Oxum, who found them newborns in a river, the relationship of the Ibeji twins with these orixás is undeniable. But because they are the most powerful orixá, the brothers also have relationships with the other orixás and are highly respected by them.

Taiwo and Kehinde have the power to undo anything the others do, but no orixá has the same power over the deeds of the twins - what Ibeji does, no one, not even another orixá, is able to undo.

The birth of Ibeji

The twin brothers known as the orixá Ibeji have an exciting story to tell: their biological parents are Iansã and Xangô. Their mother, however, abandoned them soon after birth, leaving the two babies in the river and to their fate.

By chance, the orixá Oxum was near the river when she heard the babies' cries and promptly ran to help them. When she found them in the water, her eyes shone when she saw the two newborn brothers smiling at her. Oxum then took them home and raised them as her own children. She loved them and treated them very well.

Ibeji in different religions

Ibeji is present in many religions and cultures, in many different ways. To help you better understand how he is seen in each one of them, below are some of the religions that worship the orixá of childhood and how they do it. Follow!

Ibeji in Umbanda

It is common in Umbanda for Ibeji to be confused with an Erê. However, although there is a great similarity, Ibeji is the only orixá represented by two different personalities. His pure essence brings much gentleness and genuine capacity to forgive and love.

Besides this, being a child orixá, the Ibejis are always present in all the rituals performed, under supervision, so that their mischief does not end up disturbing the work of the fathers and mothers of saint.

Thus, the role of Ibeji in Umbanda can be related even to family ancestry, as he has great importance as an ancestral energy, as he also has when seen as a disembodied child spirit.

Ibeji in candomblé

In candomblé, Ibeji is seen as a very strong energy that connects to each person's orixá, an element of great importance. He is associated with each person in a different way, as he establishes each person's link with their orixá over time, creating a virtually unbreakable bond between the two.

If the mother of saint in candomblé knows how to deal well with Ibeji, his importance increases even more, for he can give consultations, conduct rituals and acquire other very important responsibilities within the terreiro.

Ibeji in the Catholic Church

Who did not like, as a child, that day when sweets are distributed in the streets and schools? Saint Cosme and Damian, patrons of doctors, are the representation of Ibeji in the Catholic Church.

In Catholicism, the twins are seen as saints who, in life, were very kind, as they helped other people through medicine without asking anything in return for it. Although the belief in the twin saints is very old, there are relics of the two that remain kept in a church in Rome.

The legend says that Cosmas and Damian were persecuted and killed because they were Christians at a time when Christianity was not accepted in the Roman Empire. It is believed that because they had such great faith, nothing had caused them injury, not even the cross. They were then beheaded and buried together.

Ibeji in different cultures

In Brazil, Ibeji can be seen in many different ways, always representing kindness and gentleness, with images and names that differ between religions. In the continent of Africa, the saints have a great importance, especially for the mothers of twins.

The ibejis are associated with a species of monkey that is very important to the beliefs of the African people, the colobo-real monkey. The word Ibeji is also of African origin and means "twins". In Africa, the deity Ibeji is indispensable and always worshipped, because it has a very strong meaning for families, especially about children.

The sons and daughters of Ibeji

The characteristics associated with the deity of childhood are present in children, but they are not the only ones who can be considered daughters of Ibeji. Below, check out some of the most striking characteristics of those who are children of this orixá!

They have childlike features

What is most striking about the children of Ibeji is their personality: resembling children, they are usually very sweet people, with kindness in their hearts and childlike naivety and fragility. They always carry a light and positive energy about the world around them and the thought that everything will work out fine.

Thus, their always young and uncomplicated outlook on life is an advantage that few manage to have, which makes them able to achieve simple solutions and not let themselves be easily overwhelmed by the difficulties and obstacles that life can provide. Overcoming them without much effort, they always strengthen their ability and ease of adaptation.

Inconsequential

Always very playful, the children of Ibeji can end up being a little heavy-handed and inconsequential when it comes to their own mischief. Maturity is not their strong point, and they can be quite stubborn and determined to get what they want.

Everything for the children of Ibeji is seen in a very simple way, and because of this, their personalities and tendency to reduce what happens around them can make them very carefree at inopportune times for this. So, one cannot expect too much seriousness from them or their attitudes, which makes some people around them upset.

Assets

The children of Ibeji don't usually wait for things to "fall from the sky": with a lot of joviality and perseverance, they can't stand still for long, because they always overflow with energy and disposition. They are always in movement, going after what they want.

Thus, the determination that their personality provides is capable of making them very active and intense: it is all or nothing, and there is no middle ground for those who are children of Ibeji. Their intensity and concentration give them all the necessary strength to take the initiative and, almost always unwavering, overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. For this reason, they only rest when they have reached theirobjective.

Ease of forgiveness

A very striking characteristic in those who are children of Ibeji is their pure hearts. Preferring to always see goodness in everything, they enjoy a very instinctive ability to forgive other people, which can often end up leaving them hurting.

Thus, they usually believe in the capacity of change and honesty of other people and always have an optimistic outlook, making it easy to do a task that many people cannot: to forgive. So, because they have such an ease in forgiving, the children of Ibeji end up getting very hurt because of the attitudes of other people, which makes them more emotionally fragile.

Fragile and easy to hurt

When it comes to love relationships, the children of Ibeji have a great emotional fragility in their relationships. Because they have such an ease in forgiving, they end up keeping some hurts in their subconscious, after being hurt many times.

However, even though they hold some grudges that they always try to ignore and leave behind, they still forgive the other person easily, because they tend to have a very strong emotional dependence on their partners.

Thus, they prefer to "forget" what happened and believe in change, with the naivety characteristic of the children of this orixá, who have such pure hearts and are determined to be optimistic about forgiveness.

Stubborn and jealous

Taking into account the similar personality of children, it is important to understand that the children of Ibeji have a tendency to want everything to be the way they think is right, and therefore can end up being quite stubborn within their relationships.

For them, it is hard to accept some things, which also leads them to have behaviors that show their jealousy in excess.

Often, however, they do not realize that they are being possessive: this jealous side acts by instinct, because they are almost always very afraid of loneliness, since they are very extroverted people who feel good with other people around.

How to relate to Ibeji

Although not very demanding, Ibeji is a very important deity, because, besides everything, portrays justice: the duality of the twins reminds us that everything always has two sides to be heard, analyzed and understood. Therefore, it is very important to know how to properly relate to Ibeji. Check it out below!

Ibeji Day

Ibeji, like the other orixás, also has his day of the week and that day is Sunday. After all, there is no better day to represent family unity and children's play.

Besides the day of the week, Ibeji also has his day of worship and more intense celebrations: on September 27, the same day that the Catholic church celebrates the day of St. Cosme and Damian, there are many celebrations, dances, children playing and, of course, many sweets.

Besides all this celebration, it is also very common that Ibejis are worshiped with images: usually, clay dolls like each other and very colorful and cheerful representations of children.

Colors and element of Ibeji

Ibeji is an orixá of the air element, just like his biological mother, Iansã: the Goddess of the winds and storms. His colors are blue, pink and green, and can be seen in most images that represent the twins Taiwo and Kehinde, the Ibejis.

Always playful and full of energy, like most children, their images usually carry strong and vibrant colors. This is to always remind us of the joy and pleasure that is reliving our childhood moments and awakening our eternal inner child, who lived until adolescence being cared for and ruled by Ibeji.

Symbols of Ibeji

The symbols of Ibeji are always two, to represent the twin brothers who together are known as the guardian orixá of children. The most common images of this deity are two dolls or two gourds.

Thus, there are both female and male images of Ibeji, usually the same. Nevertheless, they can also be a couple and some versions of the legend about the brothers' lives say that they were a boy and a girl.

But some details are always similar: the presence of ornaments and paintings on the body, in addition to the colorful and flashy clothes, which, in general, have their colors: blue, pink and green.

Ibeji herbs and leaves

The Ibejis, like the Eree and other orixás, also have their "favorite" leaves and herbs, and these are some of them:

- Jasmine: For children who have too much energy and make too much trouble, a bath with jasmine leaves is great for calming the spirits. But it can also be used for different purposes: healing a sick child or invoking the energy of one, usually during rituals in terreiros, is also work for this plant.

- Chamomile: If you have a newborn baby, chamomile is the perfect plant. It can be used in teas or baths, it brings protection to babies, besides leaving them calm and relaxed.

- White Rose: In addition to being great for calming children who tend to be very angry or have a tendency to disobey, white roses are also a great pleasure if used to decorate offerings for Ibeji or Eree.

Sculptures of Ibeji

The sculptures used to represent the orixá Ibeji, who is one and at the same time is two, are always the same: most commonly made of wood or stone, some colored, others black, always in pairs or pairs.

Almost always bearing various ornaments, the ornaments of the sculptures can be made of beads, but they can also be painted or just carved in more detail in the material itself - the wood or stone that makes up the dolls. In addition, it is also very common for them to appear with various types of different body paintings all over the body and with large and eye-catching hair.

Salutation to Ibeji

The greeting used with the twins Ibeji, can vary, according to the religion. Even so, the importance is always the same, because the brothers should also be treated respectfully always, since children do not know how to measure jealousy so well and can get upset with those who do not greet them as they should. This is how it happens with Ibeji.

The most commonly used greetings for them are "Bejiróóó! Oni Beijada!", which means "He is two!", and "Onipé Ibeji!", which means "Twin defender!". These are used, respectively, in Umbanda and Candomblé.

Prayer to Ibeji

There are a variety of prayers that can be used to "speak" to the guardian orixá of children, and they are always very beautiful. If you want to connect more with Ibeji, they are the most beautiful example of what you can do to firm up your connection with the orixá. A great prayer for Ibeji is this one:

My children, my beloved Ibejis!

Hail the Ibejis, Lords of the Cosmos who give me their hands!

My beloved Cosme and Damian, Lords of joy and plenty,

I give thanks for my life and opportunities, for continued prosperity.

My Ibéjis, I salute you and ask for strength,

For my joy and prosperity are born of your blessings!

Saravá Ibejis! Omi Beijada!

The offering of caruru to Ibeji

One of Ibeji's favorite dishes is caruru, so one of the best offerings to the twins is caruru! The information below is important so that you can make this offering in the correct way. Check it out!

When to do it?

As well as being a delicious meal full of nutrients for the body, it is good to offer this meal to the orisha and enjoy it with your family or loved ones.

She will bring many positive energies and unity, which will be provided by the twins. Happy to receive the treat, they will joyfully give the beautiful privilege of being able to enjoy all the sweetness and kindness present in their hearts.

Ingredients

To prepare the caruru for the offering, some adaptations may be necessary, especially if you live outside of Brazil. So, okra can be cut into rounds or crosses, dendê oil can be substituted for coconut oil, and dried shrimp can be substituted for fresh shrimp.

The recipe consists of the basic ingredients, which are:

1 cup toasted and ground cashew nuts;

1 can of coconut milk;

1 cup ground peanuts, roasted and shelled;

1.5 kg of okra;

Dendê or coconut oil;

1 kg of dried or fresh pink shrimp;

800g large grey shrimp (with tail);

1 diced green pepper;

1 diced red bell pepper;

1 diced white onion;

3 tablespoons garlic;

Ginger and salt to taste and a pinch of sugar.

In addition, the most common accompaniments are rice, rapadura, xinxim de galinha, farofa, feijão fradinho and popcorn, but you can certainly choose which accompaniment you want to add to the recipe.

Directions

While the shrimp in this recipe are in the oven until they begin to take on a reddish hue, which will take approximately 15 minutes, begin sautéing the chopped garlic in dende palm or coconut oil and adding the bell peppers and onion. You can make your requests to the orisha Ibeji at this time, while preparing the meal.

When everything is well sautéed, slowly add the okra, which may have been previously fried, to help remove the slime. After that, you can add water (or fish broth), so that the okra is cooked. When it is ready, just add the shrimp and season to your liking.

It is very important to remember that the dish that will serve as an offering to Ibeji, or Cosme and Damião, must be served before the dishes of those who are going to eat. When offering it, light two white candles and reinforce your requests. Leave the dish in your home, somewhere that does not attract too much attention, for two days. After that, just dispose of it.

Offering chocolate cake to Ibeji

It is not news that the Ibejis love sweets. Like any child, they have a great passion for chocolate cake! The classic recipe, the cake "Nega Maluca", is a great option to win them over, besides being ideal to use only a wooden spoon to mix the dough. Follow the recipe below!

When to do it?

Offering chocolate cakes is one of the best options to strengthen your bond with Ibeji, make requests or reinforce requests already made at some point.

Besides, because it is a recipe that they like a lot and are very happy to receive, besides being easy to prepare, the cake can bring you closer to the orixás-children and make them enter and flood more and more your life with love and positive energies.

Ingredients

The ingredients for the preparation of the cake batter for Ibeji are:

1 cup and a half of sugar;

2 cups of flour;

1 cup chocolate powder (of the highest possible cocoa percentage);

1 cup hot water;

Half a cup of oil;

1 tablespoon baking powder;

A pinch of salt;

A clay dish.

The ingredients used in the cake topping, on the other hand, are as follows:

Half a cup of powdered chocolate

1 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon butter

4 tablespoons of milk

For the decorations, a good option is to put confetti, M&M's or granulated with the colors of Ibeji: pink, blue and green.

Directions

Mix very well the dough of the ibeji cake, with a wooden spoon, except for the baking powder and the hot water. When the mixture is very homogeneous and without pellets, add the water little by little and the baking powder last. Bake in the oven over medium heat for approximately 40 minutes and unmold, still hot, on a clay dish.

The covering is made in a pan, just mixing all the ingredients and stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and create a little consistency. When it is in the point, just put it on the cake, still hot.

So, serve the cake on the clay plate and make your requests. You can light white candles and offer a soft drink as an accompaniment.

Offering sweets to Ibeji

The day of São Cosme and Damião is synonymous with souvenirs: who has never received the little bags full of sweets and treats, so typical of the end of September? If you also want to offer sweets to cheer Ibeji, follow this step-by-step!

When to do it?

Although they have caruru as one of their favorite dishes and love typical regional foods, the Ibeji brothers, like any child, also love to receive sweets, soft drinks and toys.

For Ibeji, the sweeter the better. So, if you want to make a treat to the twins, you can take advantage of the day of celebration of the orixá: every year, on September 27, there is an exclusive day of worship of the deity, the famous "day of St. Cosme and Damian. With much joy and positivity, many sweets are offered on this day, and you can also prepare an offering at home.

Ingredients

The ingredients for the offering of sweets to Ibeji can vary, since it basically consists of using sweets of the most varied types: paçoca, maria-mole, lollipops, candies, etc. So, use a little bit of everything, but without forgetting to add the typical accompaniment: soda. You can also choose to put some toys, to please the Ibeji twins even more.

In addition, the most important point to note, should you wish to make this offering, is that all ingredients must always be offered to Ibeji in clay containers: the sweets on a plate and the soda in a quart.

Directions

There is no secret to how to prepare an offering of sweets to Ibeji: just choose the sweets and soft drinks that you want to offer, place them all in an earthenware dish, in an organized manner, and finish with honey on top of them all.

If you choose to offer toys, you may place them next to the plate. In addition, it is extremely important to remember that Ibeji is two, so everything offered to the twins should be equal and in the same quantity, never pleasing one more than the other.

Ibeji is the deity who rules the joy and ingenuity of children!

Ibeji is the deity that takes care of children and rules the good times of childhood! They are responsible for taking care of children as they grow up, providing protection, health, lots of games and great memories that will last for the rest of their lives.

The orixá who, at the same time, is one and two, the twins who were abandoned at birth, today is recognized as the most powerful orixá of all!

It is a symbol of purity and present in children, a deity recognized and respected by numerous religions and cultures, which brings joy and festive atmosphere every year in their celebrations, when sweets are distributed to bring smiles and positive energies!