Ever considered that getting such remarks as “oh sorry I thought you were someone” or OMG you look so much like someone I know” are the pecks to being human? Such remarks are like checking the box that says “I’m not a robot” which ascertain if one is human.

Clicking the check box in this digital age certifies the level of your humanity; also if such statement of having semblance with someone somewhere or somehow has not been directed your way, I think you should have a rethink on your humanity.

We have majority of the world formed by individual beings but some from birth come as twins that could be identical or fraternal. Despite those who are not twins it seems to be part of our experience to always have a look alike somewhere? So I guess everyone looks like someone perhaps a “twin stranger”.

Having someone who looks like you with no blood link is unquestionably eerie for lack of genetic evidence. Back in the days, jolted by lack of understanding on creation abilities of the human body, twins were an anomaly to certain beliefs.

The Kikuyu of Kenya practiced the killing of twins same as the Igbo’s in the first millennium of the 19th century. As seen in Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” they were depicted as taboos while for the Yoruba’s twins reflect a source of blessings.

Twins were thus slain in several parts of the world and cultures that regarded them as a threat to sanity.

Thankfully science has vindicated twins as we know them today to be either fraternal or identical, regardless this does not cease the divine/spiritual belief by some cultures.

That said, the world is filled with duplicates of beings scattered in several parts of the world. Could this phenomenon of twin strangers or doppelganger, be a spur to conspiracy theorist spotting look alike that has them saying Tupac Shakur still leaves after being shot four times in 1996 at Las Vegas.

Nourishing this theory further is the unresolved nature of the case where no one has been arrested for Shakur’s death.

The supernatural and spiritual understanding of twins is undisputable. The Greeks beliefs attributes divine powers to twins probably because a good number of some the Greek gods are twins. Artemis the god of war and Apollo the god of prophecy are in fact twins.

Greek gods and twins in Greek mythology were seen as diviners’ as well as special beings that brought balance. Apollo and Artemis have successively become an emblem for perfect relationship amongst twins regardless of their dissimilar behavioral traits and powers which in fact is the balance they strike.

Going back to Yoruba belief, the Ibeji statue currently at the University of Missouri Museum of Art and Archaeology represents the history and culture of Ibeji, the Yoruba deity of twins.

Their culture same as the Greeks reverences twins and sees their existence as one constructed by the heavenly one.

This backs their general disposition to caring with utmost attention for the twin kids making sure no harm befalls anyone, for fear of that happening brings doom on the household.

In turn they believe that twins are a blessing to the parents giving utmost care and attention to twins for they have faith in twins to have supernatural powers that could influence the family’s fortune.

Again in Igbo-Ora in Oyo state, they are known to be the nations home of twins, it is going to be complicated living in such a town.

Claims by the people say that this regular duplicate of beings is attributed to the yam eaten in the town. This theory has since been debunked by scientific proof in spite of the finding of a natural hormone phytoestrogen in the yams.

Doppelganger originating from German origin which literally translates to “double goer” is also believed to be a bad omen as when one meets their doppelganger it means death. But with the doppelganger trend, Ariana Grande various celebrities have seen and met their doppelgangers and had not a hair from their skin removed.

Unequivocally, the mysteries surrounding twins and doppelgangers also called “twin strangers” are uncanny and mesmerizing as well thus the duality they stand for. Dante Gabriel Rosetti’s famous painting with the title “how they met themselves” drawn in 1851 depicts through his art work two lovers taking a stroll and being confronted by their doppelgangers that glow supernaturally. The man draws his sword outraged by this mystery while his lady falls to her death or just faints.

Twinning is now adored which has mothers consciously create the twin illusion through the help of clothes and accessories to appear the same way as their daughters, son or spouse even with the absence of a strong semblance.

Hence popular culture, through modes of dressing accessories even mannerisms has aided the increase thus the effect of twinning in contemporary times. As what was not understood was dreaded and destroyed, has become the cornerstone.

https://www.nigerialog.com/random-thoughts/demystifying-the-phenomenon-of-twins/new/#new