Ẹ̀TA ÒKÒ: TRIPLETS IN YORUBA WORLD
Have you ever wondered why Yorùbá don’t have names for triplets like they have for twins in Taye and Kehinde?
Though not as frequent as twin birth, triplet births are special birth in Yorùbá thought system. They hold a more sacred position than twin birth and has its rituals that must be observed.
At the birth of a triplets in Yorùbá land, the father will have to go and announce to the king that his wife was delivered of a set of triplets. He must go with ìyá-agbẹ̀bí who sometimes doubles as Iya àbíyè, one of the principal female chief of ògbóni/òṣùgbó. Another person that must follow him is the olórí-ẹbí, ie The head of their family or clan.
Upon informing the King or Baálẹ̀, the royal majesty must go into his inner room, remove the clothes he was wearing when the news was broken to him and hand it over to the head of the family of the man. This clothe is what the parent will use to wrap the three babies for the the first year of their life.
Generally, triplets don’t have ready-made names like Taye and Kehinde in the case of twins, nonetheless, they are usually given names that are closely related. For example, they could be given: Adebisi, Adejoke and Adesewa. Olabamiji, Olayinka and Oladipupo. Olubunmi, Olufunke and Oluyole. The reason for this is not known yet, as the name can be confusing at times.
Another aspect of Yorùbá tradition on triplets is that, the mother of triplets must dance to Gbẹ̀du drum after the birth. She might dance to any other kind of drum afterwards, but Gbẹ̀du drum must be her first.
This same ritual applies to any other multiple births above three: The king or the Baálẹ̀ of the town must be informed first, the royal must present the dress on him or her to the mother as a gift. Thereafter, the mother’s first dance must be to Gbẹ̀du drum. There are other rituals that are peculiar to each town, but these are the general ones.
A good reference point on this is the case of triplets birth for Aláàfin Ọba Adeyemi 111 here.
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