Sankofa Series: Facts about the predominantly Ghanaian Muslim festival that celebrates virgins

Somewhere in Kintampo in the Bono East Region of Ghana, virgins are celebrated every year, on the 27th night of the month of Ramadan, during a festival marked by the Wangara Community.

The Benkadi Kurubi Festival is observed annually to remind the people of the migration of their forefathers who were indigenes of Bambaras Madingo and Djula from the ancient Kingdoms of Mali and Songhai, to Kintampo.

Celebrated by a predominantly Muslim group, and distinguished by the great and unique display of the rich culture of the Wangara people, the festival also marks the community’s allegiance to the traditional paramountcy in Kintampo.

A durbar is held as part of activities to mark the festival and during this event, many dignitaries are invited, including the Paramount Chief of the area who graces the event.

There is merry-making and cultural dancing.

There is one peculiar and rather intriguing part of the festival that Wangaras pride in.

This is the part of the durbar where female virgins are given the platform to sit and dance on a wooden platform called the “Kurubi Gbata”. This dance, the “Kurubi dance” is to portray the pride of young ladies who have stayed away from indulging in premarital sex.

During this dance, it is believed that all those who have had sexual intercourse before will fall off the wooden boards in the process, and this will distinguish the virgins from the non-virgins.

This has over the years served as a significant part of the festival, as it promotes chastity among the youth in the area.



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This article was first published by GhanaWeb on Monday, March 22, 2021, but has been republished in commemoration of the 2024 Ghana Month celebrations


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