Western Influences
Pregnancy and Birth
Pregnancy
Fertility
Birth
Death of a Child
After Live Birth
Childhood Initiation
Historic Dipo
Western Influences
Christian
Influences
Dipo Today
Youing children go through the ritual of initiation before or after they hit
puberty. It usually includes the custom of circumcision. The children used
to be in their late teens when they were initiated, now because of the
influences of the modern world, the children are younger; between eight and
twelve. There are many different rituals for childhood initiation.
In some cultures the girls and boys will learn from small groups of either
their mothers or their fathers. Other cultures have a more formal
approach. All of them have different rituals
that the children will have to perform. During their initiation most
cultures have the
x. children who are being initiated separated from the rest of the community.
Boys are still circumcised, yet for girls the practice is starting to fade. Many times the actual circumcision now is taken place in a hospital to lesson any risk. Some cultures only circumcise the girls symbolically, others only cut a small piece off. The reason why the ritual of circumcision even exists is to get rid of the last bits of nyamas before they enter adulthood. Spilling blood is a sacrifice to the spirits. With the spilled blood they ask to be welcomed into adulthood. Since girls menstruate naturally, it might be one of the reason circumcision for girls is starting to fade; boys do not spill blood naturally, so they are circumcised. 4.
The modern world has had a great influence on the Krobo tribe. Usually families would have only one daughter initiated at a time. Now though they will have all their daughters do it at the same time, allowing for many young initiates. Girls used to look forward to the ritual of initiation. This would be the day that they could wear their mothers beads and receive more responsibility to make them an adult. Now it is something that is just preformed and doesn't carry as much weight as it used to.
Despite the influence of the Ghanaian cities the dipo is still a very practiced ritual among the Krobo tribe. The girls will partake in inner and outer transformations with the help of the Dipo guardian. After the girls have been taught the different task, they will have to demonstrate their new skills to the chief. Their future suitors will also be watching them preform as well as their family. 2.