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The beaded jewelry below is made by craftswomen
in eastern Ghana who are members of the ethnic group called Krobo.
The Krobo people are reputed to be the most romantic people in
the country. They place great importance on adornment, especially
among women. A traditional queen mother, for example is not considered
well dressed without her beads.
For the Krobo people, beads are the focus of a
rite of initiation for young girls passing on to adulthood. In the
initiation called Dipo, girls are brought together and taught things
which are important to women such as hygiene, family care, sexuality,
etc. They live in seclusion from the rest of the village and are
fed very well so as to be sure to have a fresh and healthy look
for their the end of the initiation. The end of the rite is their
first public appearance, where they are presented adorned with nothing
but beads which are worn on their wrists, ankles, necks, hands and
waists. This rite serves as their passage to womanhood and is still
a very popularly celebrated festival for the Krobo people today.
In other parts of Ghana, beads are considered "magic
wands" which women use to catch the attention of a suitor.
And even today some traditional chiefs wear long strings of beads
as ornaments for special occasions.
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