It Has Become Difficult To Find A Girl Who Has Not Had Sex So Dipo Rites Have Been Modified
- It has emerged that because it has become difficult to find virgins for the Dipo rites, traditional authorities have resorted to admitting non-virgins for the puberty rites
- Elderly women in charge of the rite of passage at Dodowa said the situation is unfortunate because it adds to the many problems with the sacred rites
- Modernity, social media and modern-day pastors have been identified as factors that are killing the rite of passage
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Organisers of a popular rite of passage from adolescence to puberty celebrated by the people of Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana have been compelled to modify the stringent requirement for the decades-old rite.
It used to be the case that only girls who have not been deflowered by the time of the rite would pass through the selection process for the 'Dipo' rites.
However, things have changed. Due to the inability of the traditional female authority to find girls who have not had sex before, they have resorted to admitting girls who have been deflowered.
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Many young girls are now having sex
According to a Daily Graphic report, elderly females in charge of the 'Dipo' puberty rites at Dodowa say they have found most of the girls presented by their parents for the rites to have had sex multiple times
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To keep the tradition going, they have had to adapt to the demands of modern times and admit girls who have had sex, sometimes many times.
However, girls who have aborted babies, given birth or carried pregnancies are still barred from the cherished rite of passage.
Modernity has dampened interest in 'Dipo' rites
According to the Daily Graphic the elderly mothers who organise the 'Dipo' disclosed that the current generation of Krobos do not express interest in learning the processes of the rites.
The elderly women, many of whom are in their 80s say there afraid that when they pass away, the tradition will die off.
Modernity, particularly formal education, social media and modern-day pastors were identified as factors killing the popular rite of passage.
How 'Dipo' is performed by the Krobos
The rite is held in April every year. First, an announcement is made for parents to send their qualified daughters to the chief priest or priestess of the town.
The young girls are then taken through a series of rituals to prove their chastity and qualification for the rites. This was when it was reserved for only girls who were untouched and in their puberty.
The process then starts after the qualified girls are selected.
The heads of their chosen girls will be shaved and a piece of cloth tied around their waist to their knee level.
The upper part of their body will be naked and marked with sacred symbols. The girls are then paraded through the entire community.
Ghanaian couple do their traditional marriage ceremony on Zoom
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that a Ghanaian couple, Elieson and Naa Ayorkor, had their traditional marriage ceremony in an unconventional way.
The groom could not travel in time for the ceremony and so it was held on Zoom.
The two were joyous as they went through the event and even danced together at some point.
Puberty rites in Ghana - types and significance
YEN.com.gh also carried a story about puberty rites in Ghana in a previous article.
The article explained that they some of the deep-rooted cultural activities that many communities in Ghana take part in.
Of course, there have been influences of education, modernisation, and missionary counter-teachings, but still, these practices have not faded.
It is no wonder many people across the globe flock to our country, on a yearly basis, to witness these magnificent initiation events.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
