Kentucky Native American Church, LLC was founded in 2015 by David Thundering Eagle Fallis and Michael Gentle Panther Pitzer. In 2023, we reorganized as part of the 501c3 process with the Internal Revenue Service which required incorporating instead of being a LLC. Kentucky is one of fifteen states that doesn’t allow conversion from LLC to Corporation. We are now Kentucky Native American Church, Inc.

Our first Principal Uku was Bill Laughing Bear Lawson. In keeping with Tsalagi tradition, the Uku is the spiritual leader of a group and there is a long and arduous process to attain the title. Michael Gentle Panther Pitzer studied under Bill Laughing Bear Lawson until his passing and continued his theological training under other Uku mentors. Sadly, two of the three mentioned above have crossed over to be with their creator, we call Unetlanvhi, pronounced Ew Nay Thla Nuh He, maker of all things.

In Memory of Bill Laughing Bear Lawson, Uku