African villages, Itumi celebrates a number of yearly festivals that are celebra The villange of Itumi lies somewhere in western Nigeria. Like most ted on special dates. Not even the new yam festival or the festival to commemorate the new hunting season could be termed as bigger than the highly revered a festival referred to as the dance of the virgins.
  Like its name, the dance of the Virgins is a festival that introduces young maidens into womanhood. The festival takes usually takes three days to finish. The first day is usually less tedious for the virgins because it is usually a day they will parade the nooks and cranny of the village dressed in their best attires complete with various precious ornamental beads.
  The second day of the festival is the most tedious and the most nerve racking of the festival not only for the maidens but also for the members of their immediate or extended families because it is a day that those that have prior lost their virginity outside marriage will be exposed. Anybody exposed in this manner has not only brought shame to herself but also to her entire family. She will not only be booed by the entire village, her family will be forced to pay a heavy fine to appease the deity of the land. One unique thing about the festival is that there was no way any maiden ripe enough to participate in the ceremony could dodge it for whatever reasons.
  Exposing any maiden that had lost her virginity during the second day of the festival is simple. That day is usually for the maidens to individually cook for the elders of the village. The traditionally accepted meal is pounded yam that will either go with bitter leaf soup garnished with assorted bush meat and dried fish. After the cooking had been done, the maidens are expected to put the food in a big bowl, balance it on their head and dance lively to where the elders are seated. Any maiden that has her calabash fall from her head has definitely lost her virginity and she will be booed out of the festival ground. However, any maiden that successfully place her calabash before the elders is praised and applauded.
  The festival comes to an end on the third day. On this day, the maidens dances at the village square half naked, thereby exposing their firm breast and beautiful ornamental body to would be suitors that comes from far and near in search of a possible bride.`

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