The Nemenhah Band is a Weaubleau, Missouri

Weaubleau, Missouri

Weaubleau is a city in Hickory County, Missouri, United States. The population was 518 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Weaubleau is located at ....

-based religious

Religion

Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...

 group founded and headed by Phillip "Cloudpiler" Landis. It was founded circa 2000 and has about 7,000 members. It practices alternative medicine

Alternative medicine

Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....

, specifically natural medicine.

The group says that it is composed of Native American

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

 healers and those "spiritually

Spirituality

Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...

 adopted" into the band. According to the Nemenhah Band's website, "membership is by spiritual adoption only." 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. In addition, those seeking spiritual adoption are asked to provide a $250 USD donation and an additional annual donation of $100 USD. The Nemenhah band also provides a curriculum to become a medicine man or woman. Some Native Americans

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

 have criticized these practices.

The group received widespread attention in 2009 when a judge

Judge

A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...

 ordered chemotherapy

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....

 for a 13-year-old boy with Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's lymphoma, previously known as Hodgkin's disease, is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes...

 whose family were members of the group; his mother fled with her son to avoid the court order

Court order

A court order is an official proclamation by a judge that defines the legal relationships between the parties to a hearing, a trial, an appeal or other court proceedings. Such ruling requires or authorizes the carrying out of certain steps by one or more parties to a case...

, but later returned. Her son successfully completed chemotherapy and radiation.