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Krobo puberty rites

24 images Created 23 Jul 2006

Every year in the spring, Krobo girls become women. In Eastern Ghana, young girls from the Krobo ethnic group undergo a series of rituals through which they leave childhood behind.

The rituals, locally called dipo, were originally reserved to teenage girls and indicated they were ready to take a husband. In recent years, human rights groups and parents alike have objected to the requirement for dipo initiates to go bare-breasted for part of the rituals. As a result, girls no older than 3-4 years of age now undergo the process - as it is arguably less shocking for a young child to walk around naked than it is for a teenage girl.
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  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group hold calabashes used to carry rain water on their heads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.01.Dipo011.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group stand in line wearing traditional beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.01.Dipo012.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group eat boiled yam and tomato sauce, a traditional local dish, as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.01.Dipo013.JPG
  • An elderly woman prepares to spread a concoction of ground millet and water - a symbol of protection - on the body of young girls from the Krobo tribal group undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo018.JPG
  • An elderly woman spreads a concoction of ground millet and water - a symbol of protection - on the body of a young girl from the Krobo tribal group as she undergoes puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo023.JPG
  • An elderly woman spreads a concoction of ground millet and water - a symbol of protection - on the body of a young girl from the Krobo tribal group undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo024.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group perform a traditional dance before their peers as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo030.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo034.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo035.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo036.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo037.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo038.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo039.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo040.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group wear traditional waist beads as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo044.JPG
  • Ordered to keep silent for the last steps of the puberty rites - locally called dipo - a girl from the Krobo tribal group holds a leaf in her mouth - this will ensure she doesn't utter a word.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo045.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group are dressed up in white as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo046.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group are dressed up in white as they undergo puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo049.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group line up as they prepare to walk to a local shrine during the puberty rites - locally called dipo - held in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo050.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group line up as they prepare to walk to a local shrine during the puberty rites - locally called dipo - held in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo051.JPG
  • A young girl from the Krobo tribal group get her hair shaven as she undergoes puberty rites - locally called dipo - in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana. Formerly a required step in the rituals, the shaving of the hair can now be avoided for a fee of 50 cents paid by parents. Many parents choose to pay the fee to avoid criticism from schoolmates or fellow church-goers.
    GHA06.04.03.Dipo056.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group walk to a local shrine during the puberty rites - locally called dipo - held in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo055.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group walk to a local shrine during the puberty rites - locally called dipo - held in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo054.JPG
  • Young girls from the Krobo tribal group line up as they prepare to walk to a local shrine during the puberty rites - locally called dipo - held in Somanya, Eastern Region, Ghana.
    GHA06.04.02.Dipo053.JPG
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