KLAMAH; THE DIPO DANCE


According to my grandmother, who comes from Dodowa, the Dipo dance was originated from 'Klo Yomi' which means Shai Hills, where their forefathers came to settle after they came from Nigeria.
The whole story was of a man who married two wives at that time, the first wife of the man got pregnant and gave birth to a male child. After a few weeks the man and his wife agreed and circumcised the baby. The couple and the neighbors were very happy they circumcised the baby because their perception was that, the baby has been cleansed or sanctified all the people in the community came together to celebrate and offer gifts to the baby and the mother.
This drew the man’s attention so much on the wife and the baby boy, which became a legacy for all the people in the community that all their male children must be circumcised
Later the second wife also got pregnant. But instead of giving birth to a boy as she wished for, she gave birth to a girl. Due to her bitterness and jealousy, she also thought of doing something unique. Due to the fact that she can't circumcise the baby, she sat and created her own idea to let the man and the community know women can also be sanctified.
She waited until she entered her puberty age then she went to the market to buy plenty expensive beads, clothes, and "mim3"as perfume those days to dress up her girl to look gorgeous to signify she is ready for marriage
The dance she organized to celebrate the cleansing and sanctification of her daughter became known as 'Dipo'. She set up a final dance which she called "klamah" which they now called Dipo dance.
So, during the dance, you dress to expose your body to attract men to tell them you’re are ready for marriage.                                                                                                                                                          A DIPO INITIATE
                                  Girls in the second stage of Dipo initiation. - Nachrichtenfoto ...                                                                                                                                                      
Twisting the waist and the butts sends a message that yes, she’s matured enough to satisfy a man,
Bending downwards tells the men the back is strong enough to carry a baby
Dancing backwards and forwards means that wherever the men turns in bed you're ready to meet him
They usually sing and clap their hands during the klama dance
The turning of their hands and necks also symbolizes that, they are having their beauty all over them.

 THE KLAMA DANCE PERFORMANCE
Two female initiates perform the Klama dance at their outdooring ...  Girls in the second stage of Dipo initiation perform a Dipo dance ...

The Klama Dance, when performed, signifies the end of the Dipo rites and the final transition of a young girl into womanhood. The dance calls for suitors for the hands of the transitioned girls into marriage.

BY OSUBRONI FAUSTINA.

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