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CNN World Report

Ugandans Seek Spiritualism in Ancestry

Aired July 15, 2001 - 14:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: To Uganda, where devout members of one faith have been gathering to renew their ties to their religion and to their ancestors. Here is Uganda's WBS-TV with the story.

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STEPHEN KIWANUKA, WBS-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In what has been regarded as a culture, a new belief based on itself on its ancestors has been created. Members of this group have (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this place is believed to based on ancestral ground of some of their spirits.

The group leader, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) derives his powers from a spirit called (UNINTELLIGIBLE). This is a pilgrimage made once every year.

Selected people are interested to keep law and order and gave their congregation during its festivities. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Such meetings symbolize a reunion with their spirits.

People sit at these bonfires and believe to be of such (UNINTELLIGIBLE), they ask for blessings. Members of the group now encourage sacrifices that involve blood shedding.

This man insists that followers have to wear mostly white dresses because traditional black cloth has negative connotations. Shoes have to be removed and people move through slow, iced water to be purified.

A green and yellow flag is also indication they are a group. Fruits are offered and eaten on such days. The group feels that by tidying up for the event, more cultural social and economic problems would minimize.

Stephen Kiwanuka, WBS-TV, for CNN WORLD REPORT.

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