Editing Ubantu:Contents:Religion:KidiniIntro (section)

===The Cults: Masonto ya Mjimfu===

The Cult of the City of the Dead is popular in larger cities.

====Kamau Cult====

=The Kamau Cult is dedicated to social purification, particularly as it concerns finding and killing witches. The clerics are called Wapulikizaji - Enforcers, and they are in fact a force of terror throughout Ubantu. The various kings and councils of Ubantu periodically put down the Cult, sometimes violently. The Wapulikizaji have the interesting idea that they, being directly in touch with Kamau, are not bound by ordinary laws.

====The Misimbwa Cult====

The Misimbwa Cult adds and extends the Msafu ya Misimbwa from the basic text. They name hundreds of spirits. Membership is hereditary, and it is the practice of the clerics to offer their daughters first to the Misimbwa, which succeeds fairly often. The Spirit-clerics, who call themselves "Mwasimbwaji", all have some degree of spirit-blood, which is reflected by magical knacks. In the coastal Wachomba cities, the Mwasimbwaji are fully concerned with the worship of Mbova-Dziva, the Sea Goddess and Wakeso the sailor-hero.
 

====The Mother Martyr Cult (Ulili ya Wazaa)====

The History of the Five Mothers is one of the most important myths in the Book of Legends. Umajina, the Creator God, made for the first man, Unkulunkintu, five wives, one for each day of the week. They are Mosi (the first), Massassi  (morning star), Morongo  (evening star), Mbongwe (tree),  and Sela (singer) - these are the days of the Ubantun calander: Jumamosi, Jumazuhuru, etc. Each Mother gave birth to "many" children, and died in the process..

The Mother Martyrs are the sole voice of female power in Ubantu. The Makasisi of the Cult have a very unique status. They are unmarried, but may take lovers and have children. They are essential as midwives and have powerful healing magic along with an understanding of disease that far exceeds the general level of technology. They understand germ theory, can create herbal antiseptics and anesthetics. Though the don't do real surgery, they can patch almost any wound.  In addition to medical/herbal technology and the healing powers of ritual magic, they actively seek out young women with the Gift of psychic healing and keep these "true daughters" safe and secure.

Offending the Makasisi Wazaa is a very bad idea. The least punishment is impotence and sterility. Beyond that, they have their cadre of ancestors, and, as a last resort, the favor of Ngai himself.
    The Mother Martyr Cult extends through all levels of Ubantun society.

====The Zimbanje Cult====


Zimbanje is the sorceror-hero who invented written language and wrote the original Misafu. Though he is still worshipped by the Kanisa and its scholars, there is a separate Cult that has made a religion out of the collection of knowledge. The Cult clearly has the blessing of Zimbanje and they have their own Wayombe. The Cult has built real schools and universities, and is especially lively in the dynamic coastal cities.

====The Snake Cult====

The Msafu ya Mizimu makes several mentions of snakes. In particular, snakes found in graveyards are believed to be ancestors who have business that can't wait the normal year. Likewise, people who die in the bush but don't wish to harm the living often become snakes. In the same vein, vipers often avenge forgotten wrongs - victims of snakebite are suspect, though exonerated by suffering if they survive. There are also several myths in the Book of Legends, all of them giving snakes wisdom and secret knowledge.

The Snake Cult takes most of its knowledge from the Book of Legends, which deals with animals. Though snakes are central, they seek out all kinds of spirit animals and are known to be shape changers.