Nahko And Medicine For The People

Nahko and Medicine for the People is a musical collective fronted by singer-songwriter Nahko Bear, formed in Oregon in the late 2000s. Blending reggae, folk, rock and later heavier tribal-influenced sounds, the group built a devoted following through relentless touring and a message-driven approach to songwriting centered on healing, indigenous rights, unity and environmental sustainability. Nahko himself is of mixed Puerto Rican, Native American and Filipino heritage, and his personal search for identity and belonging runs through much of the band's catalog.

Songs like «Aloha Ke Akua», «Black As Night» and «Great Spirit» became anthems within the festival and conscious-music communities, with the refrain «I believe in the good things coming» from «Black As Night» adopted by fans as something of a mantra. The band's early work leaned acoustic and folk-rock, while the 2016 album HOKA pushed toward a denser, more tribal and percussive sound, reflecting Nahko's deepening engagement with indigenous culture and activism.

Beyond music, Nahko and Medicine for the People positioned themselves as part of a broader social and spiritual movement, performing at schools, indigenous communities and gatherings such as Wanderlust and Bioneers. Their catalog, including tracks like «Budding Trees», «Love Letters to God», «Wash It Away», «Manifesto» and «Dear Brother», reflects a consistent commitment to storytelling, self-reflection and calls for collective healing rather than conventional pop songwriting.