Aurora Hospital Accused of Cutting and Disposing of Indigenous Man’s Sacred Hair

Family Demands Apology from UCHealth

The family of an Indigenous man receiving medical care at UCHealth in Aurora has accused the hospital of cutting and disposing of their relative’s waist-length hair, an act that goes against sacred Native American cultural practices. The family of 65-year-old Arthur Janis is now seeking an apology from the hospital.

Keith Janis, a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation and Arthur’s brother, expressed his frustration, stating, “They continued to deny that they cut his hair. They tried to make us all sound crazy.”

In response to the allegations, UCHealth officials released a statement on Thursday, claiming that an investigation had revealed that Arthur Janis arrived at the hospital with shoulder-length hair, which was cut shorter by the hospital staff to prevent the development of a pressure ulcer. Dan Weaver, UCHealth’s vice president of communications, clarified that the patient’s Native American roots were not identified before the haircut took place.

“Our medical team acted appropriately given the information they had available to them and the acute medical needs of the patient,” Weaver stated. “We continue to work with the family to coordinate his ongoing care.”

According to Keith Janis, his brother was transported from Rapid City, South Dakota to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital in August after experiencing severe chest and stomach pain. While at UCHealth, Arthur Janis suffered from blood clotting and a stroke, leaving him in and out of consciousness. He remains hospitalized there.

Due to financial constraints, family members were unable to stay with Arthur for an extended period of time, despite visits from relatives across the country.

In October, during a video call arranged by UCHealth staff, Arthur Janis’s sister noticed that his waist-length hair had been haphazardly cut short. Keith Janis explained, “All of us have long hair because it’s a part of our culture. In Lakota culture, hair holds the memories of your whole life and carries the love and strength of your mother who cared for it.”

UCHealth’s Weaver defended the haircut, citing matted hair at the back of Arthur’s head that needed to be “carefully trimmed” for health reasons.

However, for Keith Janis, the sight of his brother’s cut hair triggered painful memories of their childhood separation from their parents and forced attendance at a Native American boarding school, where their hair was forcibly cut. He remarked, “We have been growing it out since then.”

Disturbed by the haircut incident, Keith Janis raised funds for Indigenous activists and traveled to Colorado to investigate further. Upon arrival, he and his group were met by a security detail at UCHealth.

Keith Janis met with UCHealth staff multiple times, demanding answers about his brother’s hair. Recordings of these meetings provided by Keith Janis appear to show UCHealth officials telling the family that Arthur had arrived at the hospital with long hair, but had returned from a rehabilitation facility with his hair cut.

UCHealth assured Keith Janis that an investigation was underway, promising to review surveillance footage and conduct employee interviews. However, Keith Janis claims to have only been provided with a couple of blurry still photographs and has not been shown any video evidence.

CU Regent Nolbert Chavez expressed his concern over the incident and intends to question the appointment process of UCHealth board members. He accused UCHealth officials of providing conflicting explanations, suggesting that they either lack the video evidence they claim to have or that it does not support their position.

Before returning to South Dakota, Keith Janis filed a report with the Aurora Police Department, who confirmed that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

In November, UCHealth officials finally admitted to cutting Arthur Janis’s hair during a phone call with his sister, who serves as his medical proxy. Dissatisfied with UCHealth’s response, Keith Janis and his loved ones returned to the hospital on Thanksgiving to demand a public apology.

Keith Janis concluded, “We have not gotten our apology. We have decided to explore legal options.”

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