Exploring glass beads as artistic elements in the Dipo tradition of the Krobo people
Cultural significance and contemporary practices
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8133846 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Charles Vicku (0000-0001-8145-3068, Ho Technical University, corresponding author), Albert Essuman (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Kofi Adjei (0000-0002-9496-2571, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Robert Amoanyi (0000-0002-5230-2743, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Lucia Mamiya (Ho Technical University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-20 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | African Identities (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1472-5843 • E-ISSN: 1472-5851 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14725843.2026.2618164 |
| OpenAlex | W7125127019 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 8 |
The cultural and aesthetic significance of beadwork serves as a potent symbol of initiation into womanhood, communal unity, and cultural identity. This study aims to explore how traditional bead-making practices reflect evolving cultural identities and local innovation within contemporary African art discourse. Field observations and semiotic analysis reveal the specific significance of spiral and flower bead motifs, which represent fertility, family morality, and protection in Krobo cosmology. However, the tradition faces challenges from cheap mass-produced bead imitations that undermine traditional bead-making expertise and threaten Krobo heritage. Despite these challenges, Krobo women and bead artists sustain the tradition by preserving age-old techniques and transmitting them through Dipo rites. To safeguard the tradition, the study recommends establishing online marketplaces for authentic Krobo beads and organizing community-based workshops to facilitate intergenerational knowledge transfer. Overall, the findings affirm that specialty Krobo bead-making is a living tradition essential for maintaining cultural identity and artistic heritage in modern Ghana.
Identity (music · Relevance (law · Representation (politics · Space (punctuation) · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Diverse Musicological Studies · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |