Not bestowed with the modern natal care, our tribe had it superstitious on coming to terms with twins. First, they saw twins as one person with two lives, GEMINI concept in Astrology. People born between May 21- Jun 21 exhibit two personalities. As twins who do not act, think, behave or 'look' alike, these people can be alert, intelligent, yet shallow. Mercury rules them, a very diverse communicator and adventurer.
Twins rarely are born though every mitosis gives results of two...we swallowed our 'twin' we who were born single. Some argue all of us were once two in uterus...then because life is for the fit, you 'sucked' up the other. And evidences of their remains are in the fluid that pours out at birth. This is in the case of identical twins. Non identical ones are very disturbing because they are of 'two' uteruses -if there can be such a word- and if the wife is not well kept, she can die at birth. One would be born hours after the other.
If you married to a family that had no twins, and you had twins as fist borns, the in-laws would say, 'dave, zia uvirukiziri winyu'. One reason is because they believe the wife may have prior slept with a man with twins in their family. It was important that it is explained 'how'. Twins were thought genetic. And they still are thought. I have rebuffed my friends who want boy-girl for once and all that I may be the only one because twins are in my blood!
They are good and near friends, these twins. See how they treat each other, get moody when one is sick, feel lonely when another is married and all that. Twins would share a man! But men, they would keep together at very home, working closely.
If one died, it was not supposed to wail and shout. The twin one would 'fwenzekera' and maybe follow in death. He or she wasn't supposed to see the dead one. It was like seeing self in death. I'd wish to die if I was one. At burial, ice rain would surely rain even if death was mumuvasu. To prevent, visinda were placed on the graves. This was same to mothers and fathers of the twins. And ice rain is much disgruntled and destructive.
Back in life, when any other child is being named or shaved, their grandmother needs kweywa zimoni or else kids will get zingiira. This is a killer fleshfreezing malady that curls a bouncing baby to a paper ball or something. A parent would cry in lactating such a frog, only eyes in sockets. In naming, similar names were discouraged to allow them sojourn their lives. As much as they were same, the world separated them.
There is a parent who has 24 children from 12 births in Lusui. When the parent died, they sang as a choir. They were beautiful. How she managed? Consult your imagination. As some ate, others were playing. As others went to stream, others were farming. Preventing twins from being so close makes them harden for life cause their friendship was SINCE.
As twins come from the uterus, and midwife is equally perplexed as the mother that another child is in there coming out too, it was supposed to feed the older one first or else he will refuse your breast, grow thin in disgruntlement. Remember Esau? The younger one grows huge, taller and stronger while the other remains a little weaker, shorter. In intelligence, one is at par. To balance, the cunny one, the disadvantaged, crowns the life of the other. Marongo is one of the names given to twins. Kisia is a child who is born after twins.
At circumcision, mukevi should not be lied to. As the child walks to the bush, the father should adequately report of the 'blood' on him so that he is cleansed before circumcision. If you lie, he may die or have a bad life. A goat or sheep is given. This is key because among the many questions before operation, people are asked...'were you born a twin?'
Lastly, it is a gift to be born twins. How happy it is to have one whom you shared the womb with? Never offend a twin for you will have double enemies. Befriend a twin and you will be assured two worthy friends by your side. Marry a twin sister. Be married by a twin brother. Or importantly, get twins! My blessings.
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