Twin phobia among the Haya of Northwestern Tanzania: Interpreting it within the mimetic theory

This essay is an attempt to interpret the Haya twins' ceremonies according to the mimetic theory proposed by René Girard.¹ It is divided into four parts. The first part is a presentation of the Haya and their cultural relationship to the larger Bantu group of the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa. The second part is a resume of Girard's reflections on twin phobia and the general pattern of the ‘doubles’, which triggers the crisis of distinction in society and thereby the escalation of violence. The third part is a general survey of the phenomenon of twin phobia in Africa. Twins, though a threat, are treated as a blessing and are received with respect and gratitude. But some ethnic groups in Africa brutally eliminate twins for fear that they are a curse. In the fourth and fifth parts this essay describes how twins are received among the Haya. The essay concludes with an evaluation of what this phobia entails, using Girardian mimetic theory.