Aho, the journey

AHO launched nearly 5 years ago. Not with bubbles, lights and a flash website, but with aching legs, a tired Māmā-to-be ,from our couch, late one evening in suburban Otautahi.

 

5 years later, it's the same, but different.

 

This Māmā is still tired, hapū with # 3 and the best writing still happens late at night from the couch.

 

I couldn't have imagined where we'd be 5 year on, how we would have grown and evolved to where we are today.

 

The many thousands of metres of fabric that we've printed and stitched that now live in your homes and wrap your pēpi. 

 

The many many beautiful whānau we've had the privilege of connecting with through this kaupapa.

 

The photos and stories that have bought us to tears more time's than I could count.

 

The opportunities to travel to India so that we could better share our story and kauapapa and realise the tangible impacts of living out our values on whānau across distant oceans.

 

The dream realized of finding a way to stay at home with my pēpi during these precious and fleeting first years.

 

More recently, of growing our own Aho kaimahi whānau so that we can do better and dream bigger together.

 

It's been a ride. Highs and lows, super stressful, at times consuming. The greatest highs and most beautiful relationships born from it.

After many hours, journeys and yarns, we've finally found a way to spin this story into something we hope you'll enjoy- Aho, the journey.

 

 

 

 

The beautiful cinematography is by my bro Reuben (also the talent behind our wooden taonga- tohu, platters and more), who, when I casually mentioned that I was thinking of making a video and would he be into capturing it (pulling whānau favors), he set about learning how (youtube is your friend), collecting the technology and gadgets required, uncle-ing (6 hour roadtrips with 2 under 3 while tired and hungry and navigating in the dark 🙂 ), bag carrier duties (after the airline lost our gear in India), and generally unflappable friend. Edited by our talented friend Hilary Tapper who managed to spin hours of ramble into something coherent. Ngā mihi aroha ki a kōrua.

Thanks also goes to TPK who have supported us to develop this story and challenged me to see Aho as a brand- and no longer just my afterhours 'hobby'!