Information on Twins in West Africa.

As I mentioned before, being a Manyi opened my eyes to the significance of twins in West African culture. Through my research so far I have discovered that most ethnic groups in Cameroon and Nigeria have had some kind of reaction to the birth of twins. From what I've read and the people I've spoken to, it seems that most of them heralds twins as gifts from God. Twins are also often seen as a double edged sword. They are indeed gifts from God but also posses divine powers with the ability to harm those who cause them displeasure. The parents especially must be careful in how they treat their twins for the twins can either die or cause illness to befall those who cross them wrongly. I've been told that many twins are spoiled as everyone lets them do as they wish.

Introduction To The Continent "Africa"

Introduction

Given Africa's size and diversity, historically, there has been relatively few books published about Africa. Most of what has been printed was done with small runs, so it is not widely available. Typically, a comparison between any two libraries will show a totally different selection in their Africa book collection. Finding specific titles can be very frustrating.

Though the continent is rich in oral history, epic legends, parables and other arts of word, very little of this has made it to the printed word. When transcribed, in their traditional structure, the material does not conform to the style sought by Western publishers so is most likely to be rejected.

In recent years the formation of African publishing houses has brought a lot more into print about Africa. This has significantly increased the diversity of view and subject in print. Unfortunately most of this material is extremely hard to find outside of Africa. While traveling in Africa it is worth making an effort to visit a local book shop to see what is on the shelf from the local publisher.