The Nemenhah Band is a religious group founded and headed by convicted fraudster [1] Phillip "Cloudpiler" Landis. It was founded circa 2000 and claims about 4,000 members.[1] It practices alternative medicine, specifically natural medicine.[1]
The group says that it is composed of Native American healers and those "spiritually adopted" into the band. Those who seek spiritual adoption must agree that natural healing is a significant part of their spirituality and that they seek to do no harm. The Nemenhah band also provides a curriculum to become a "medicine man" or "medicine woman". Some Native Americans have criticized the group's practices.[2]
Controversy
editThe group received widespread attention in 2009 when a judge ordered chemotherapy for a 13-year-old boy with Hodgkin's lymphoma whose family were members of the group; his mother fled with her son to avoid the court order,[3] but later returned. Her son successfully completed chemotherapy and radiation.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c Schiefelbein, Mark (2009-05-22). "Leader defends church at center of chemo case". msnbc.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-15. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- ^ A closer look contains hints of sham artist, not a shaman Archived 2009-05-14 at the Wayback Machine Jon Tevlin, Star Tribune, 19 May 2009
- ^ "Minn. Dad in chemo dispute pleads for son's return - Yahoo! News". Archived from the original on 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
- ^ Danny Hauser finishes his cancer treatment Archived 2009-05-25 at the Wayback Machine, November 06, 2009