Dipo a puberty rite

Culture is a way of life of a people.thus it includes the way a group of people dress,the food they eat and the occupation they do.

culture also differs from one place to another.there ate many culture in the Ghanaian society and I will like to elaborate on Puberty rite.

Puberty rite:are the rites that are performed for adolescent girls to initiate them to adulthood. Puberty rite is known as "BRAGORO" among the Akans and "DIPO" by the Krobos in Ghana
I will emphasis on the DIPO rite performed by the Krobos in the eastern part of ghana.

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DIPO is performed by the Krobos in the month of April every year.it is performed to usher virgin girls into Puberty to show that they are of age to be married.
Announcement in made of the date of the rites. When parents hear the news of the rites they send their qualified girls to the Chief priest. These girls who claim that they qualify would have to go through rituals tests to prove their chastity.
On the first day of the rites the girls have their hair shaved and dressed with cloth around their waist to their kneel level.This is done by a special mother and this signifies their transition to adulthood.

They are then parade to the entire community as the initiates Traditionally the initiates are called DIPO-YO.
Early the next day morning,the Chief priest gives the initiates a ritual bath .He pours libation to ask for blessing for me the girls.He then washes their feet with the blood of a goat which their parents presented This is to drive away spirit of barrenness.

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The crucial part of the rites,is when the girls sit on the sacred stone,this is to prove their virginity.However any girl found to be pregnant or not a virgin is detested by the community. These girls are then housed for a week,where they are giving training on cooking, housekeeping, child birth and nurture.Tge ritual mothers give them special lessons on seduction and how to treat a lady their husbands right.
They learn the Klama dance which would be performed on the final day of the rites.After one week schooling,they are finally released and the entire community gather to celebrate their transition into womanhood.They beautifully dressed in rich kente cloth accessorized with beads around their waist,neck and arms.With singing and drumming they performed the Klama dance.

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At this point any man interested in anyone of them can start investigating into their family.It is believed that any girl who Takes part in the rite successfully brings honour to herself and her family at large.

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