Krobo girls and Dipo puberty rites of passage in the eastern region of Ghana

Abstract

Globalization, which seems to have broken all socio-cultural, and economic barriers, and the growing rate of societal awareness has no doubt challenged many African cultural rites such as female genital mutilation. Despite the fact that Dipo, a Krobo cultural puberty rite, has been criticised by many people, especially on the basis of its treatment of young girls, the Krobo have managed to sustain it due to its centrality to their culture as the ceremony is instituted to promote personal hygiene, home management, and morality. This paper, therefore, examines 35 girls between the ages of 12 to 20 comprising 21 initiates and 14 non-initiates from Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The participants were engaged in one-on-one and focused group discussions. Using both primary and secondary data, which is augmented with a qualitative research methodology, this paper examines the perception of girls passing through the Dipo puberty rite. The study reveals two main findings; the belief that Dipo is traditionally ungodly and true Christians must not participate in such activities and the belief that Dipo is a cultural puberty rite of passage that is binding upon the Krobo. It is established that the observance of the Dipo rite in this modern era has attracted a number of criticisms based on the way and manner the rite is conducted, especially from the Christians in Ghana, which causes serious psychological distress among Krobo girls.