Nahko Bear was born in Portland, Oregon. Nahko is short forNahkohe-ese, "little bear" in theCheyenne language.[1] He is of Native American, Puerto Rican, and Filipino descent.[2] According to Indianz.com, he has not specified which Apache or Mohawk tribes he descends from.[3] Adopted by a white middle-class Christian family, he learned of his heritage after reconnecting with his biological mother as an adult. His birth was the result of rape, and his biological father had been murdered.[4] He learned to play the piano at the age of six and the guitar at fourteen.[5] He began his musical career bybusking[6] and formed the band in 2008. Nahko and Medicine for the People play a fusion of styles often calledworld music, orworldbeat. The group's lyrics present a message of social and environmental consciousness.[7][8][9]
On July 8, 2020, following accusations from multiple individuals of sexually inappropriate behavior, Bear resigned from the board ofHonor the Earth. In their statement, "Regarding Nahko", the board stated that they have "a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior".[15]
After the initial surge of public interest, Bear responded to the accusations made against him. On August 10, 2020, he shared a statement on the band's Facebook page, in which he expressed regret to the women he had harmed through his inappropriate actions and disputed allegations against him as false.[16]
^abD'Angleo, Chris (February 20, 2015)."Nahko: Medicinal music".TheGardenIsland.com. The Garden Island. Archived fromthe original on February 23, 2015. RetrievedMarch 19, 2015.
