Aho!

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As an organization that takes pride in conscious efforts to build inclusive and life affirming communities, The Aho Group takes this opportunity to acknowledge that the North Country Region of New York State is situated on and around land that belongs to the Iroquois, Western Abenaki, Mohican, and Mohawk peoples. We honor the original caretakers of this and surrounding lands and offer respect to the Haudenosaunee, who are still here. This land and body of water, now known as Lake Champlain, was inhabited and nurtured by these peoples for thousands of years. We must do the same to nurture and protect this sacred land. We are settlers on their land, and we strive to be accountable by remembering this history and cultivating respect in our relationships with our Indigenous neighbors and the land. 

This statement is a mere fraction of the steps that must be taken to consistently fight against systemic Indigenous erasure. 

Aho, which is often spelled A'ho, is an expression that is deeply connected and rooted in Native American and Indigenous culture. Commonly serving as a respectful closing, Aho is often used similarly to words and phrases such as, "I agree," "Yes," or "Amen." While "Aho" has become a unifying expression across many nations to signify agreement or respect, its roots are often attributed to the Kiowa word for "thank you." Aho can also serve an alternate purpose to mean "Hello" or "Goodbye."

Aho is frequently used in Indigenous ceremonies to end prayers or signify consent, similar to terms such as, "so be it." Aho has often been paired with other words to deepen its contextual meaning. For example, "Aho Mitakuye Oyasin" is a Lakota phrase often used to mean "All my relations." This expression signifies unity and connection to all things. While often used broadly today, this expression originates from specific tribal languages. Aho can also mean different things in other languages (such as Japanese) but for the purpose of our work, we center our professional and community-based services in Indigenous practices. 

"The Aho Approach" is the term that The Aho Group uniquely coined to indicate how we approach our work and business practices. The Aho Approach prioritizes community, connection, compassion, civility, and culture. We are respectful of our relationship with people, respectful of our relationship with the land, respectful of our relationship with history, and respectful of our relationship with our clients. Your background and the unique stories you bring have significance. We are trauma-informed in our approach and in the ways that we care for the experiences of others. Our lives our interwoven and interconnected in ways that we both understand and can never quite comprehend. 

We are committed to understanding the widespread impact of trauma and how it shows up differently for people and communities. We believe that life experiences, especially those marked by adversity, impact and influence a person's perspective, emotions, behavior, and relationships. ​We prioritize physical, psychological, and emotional safety and request that you join us in helping to create a collaborative environment where everyone's voice is heard, where choices are respected, and where healing is prioritized. While we understand that our world cannot always promise safety, we are convinced that we can all lead with integrity and bravery.