Dipo
Dipo Rites be one of de most popular traditional puberty rite wey menners dey criticize for Ghana waa, but esan be one of de most attended event for de country insyd, wey esan get huge patronage from tourists.[1] De traditional festival be festival wey Odumase krobo menners wey dem dey Eastern region for Ghana wey dey celebrate am.[2] Dem dey celebrate this festival for de month of April every year.[2] De festival dey use to welcome girls wey neva dey woman yet or wey neva reach puberty enter womanhood.[3] E show say di girl wey dey participate get age to marry.[4] When parents hear say de festival don start dem go send dier qualified girls go chief priest. But dem girls go need pass through rituals and test to show say dem still pure before dem qualify to join de festival.[5]
On de first day of de rite, dem go shave de head of de girls and dress dem with cloth wey dem go tie only for dema knee level. Dis one na special ritual mother go do am and e show say dem girls don transition from childhood to adulthood.[6] Dem go parade dem show de whole community as de initiates (dipo-yo).[5]
Early de next morning, de chief priest go give de initiates ritual bath. E go pour libation make e beg blessings for de girls. E go wash dema legs with blood of goat wey dier parents bring. Dis one na to chase away any spirit of barrenness. De important part of de rite na wen de girls go sit for de sacred stone. Dis one na to prove say dem still pure.[7] But if any girl dem catch say she dey pregnant or she no pure, dem go hate her for de community and no man go wan marry her from dema tribe.
Dem go keep dema girls for one week wey dem go teach dem how to cook, keep house and take care of child. De ritual mothers go teach dem special lessons on how to make man happy. Dem go learn how to do Klama dance wey dem go perform for de final day of de rites.[6]
After one week of schooling dem go release dem, de whole community go gather celebrate de transition of de girls as dem enta womanhood. Dem go dress dem well with nice kente cloth and dem go put beads for dem waist, neck and arms. Dem go sing and play drum while dem perform de Klama dance.[5] At this point any man wey get interest for any of dem fit start to investigate dier family. Dem go assume say any lady wey take part for de rite go bring honor not only to herself but also to her family. De purpose na to teach young women about dema responsibilities before dem enter marriage.[8]
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Sanza, Akesse (2021-07-08). "Dipo Ceremony: All what you need to know about the much-criticised puberty rite". Jetsanza.com. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Festivals in Ghana". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ↑ "Puberty Rites from Ghana". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- ↑ "Some festivals in Ghana". www.ghanadistricts.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "dipo rite". Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "dipo festival". Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- ↑ "dipo". Retrieved 6 September 2014.
- ↑ "Upper Manya Krobo – Eastern Regional Official Website". Retrieved 2020-08-11.