Abiku

Abiku is a Yoruba word that can be translated as "born to die" and refers to the spirit of a child who dies young. It is derived from (abi) "that which was born" and (iku) "death".

== Definition == Not only is an Abiku a spirit of a child who dies young (usually considered before puberty or 12 years of age), the belief is that the spirit can return to the same mother multiple times, resulting in multiple short-lived children, or transfer to other mothers. It is the belief that the spirit does not ever plan to "stay put in life" so it is "indifferent to the plight of its mother and her grief."