Zulu Shembe Church Swaps Leopards' Skins For Faux Fur In Religious Rituals

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY JEAN LIOUSome of the thousands of Shembe men, members of the Shembe Church (Nazareth Baptist Church), a traditionalist Zulu church, dance with their leopard-skin to worship God on January 26, 2014 in Durban. Leopard skins symbolise pride and royalty to the Nazareth Baptist Church, whose members are encouraged to don the costly dress for customary rituals. But as lost habitat and poaching send the cats' numbers plummeting, church leaders have agreed with conservationists to offer a cheaper, kitty-friendly synthetic alternative.'The leopard skin has got a significance, because it shows power,' said church spokesman Lizwi Ncwane, adding that 'We also see the importance of the conservation of the cat.' 'For the past four months now, we have been using fake skins, because we are trying to bring awareness among our people,' Ncwane told AFP. The movement, more commonly known as the Shembe Church, was founded by religious leader Isaiah Shembe a century ago and joins Christianity with Zulu customs. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images)

Carrying Zulu warrior shields and draped in leopardskin, the men of South Africa's Shembe church move hypnotically as they go through the steps of a traditional religious ritual.

But the spotted pelts around the dancers' chests are slowly being swapped for faux fur, under a pact between conservationists and church leaders.