Aho Creative
Aho Creative creates taonga (treasures) that celebrate and whakamana (affirm) the unique identity, culture, and aesthetic inheritance in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Their quality products are made to be used for generations.
About
Aho Creative is the moemoeā (dream) of Kristy Bedi. Of Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe and Pakeha descent, Kristy is based in Ōtautahi, Christchurch with her hoa rangatira (partner), Achan, whose roots stretch back to the foothills of the Himalayas in India.
It was the births of her two daughters and the transition into Māmāhood that provided Kristy the momentum to breathe life into the dream of Aho.
She felt an urgency to intentionally contribute to the cultural landscape that will shape her daughters’ identities and experiences as Māori women in Aotearoa.
“Aho, in Te Reo Māori, means a cord, a string or a line. It is the weft in the weaving, the thread of our genealogy, our descent and our descendants.”
Aho Creative is the merging of Kristy’s passions into beautiful, sustainable and practical products that affirm indigenous identities, have a positive environmental impact and whakamana the communities that make them.
From beautiful scarves and clothing to intricately carved wooden kitchenware, Aho’s products are designed to be treasured but also used– fusing art with form and function.
“It's our dream that our kāinga (homes), our kākahu (clothing) and our everyday spaces might reflect, affirm and celebrate the rich whāriki (a woven rug) of our cultural identity. An Aotearoa-centric narrative and aesthetic if you like.”
The majority of the fabrics and materials used in Aho’s products are grown in India. In 2019, Kristy and her family visited India to document the origins of their products from seed to creation.
The aim was to meet and understand the process, the people, and the impact of their products at every stage.
Aho works with an initiative in India called Chetna Organic, that works with small and marginal farmers towards improving their livelihood options and making farming a sustainable and profitable occupation. They help farmers transition to organic farming methods, establish seed banks and run schools for children.
“We strive to keep whakapapa – the connections between people, environments and processes – at the centre of our philosophy.”
To Kristy, this means seeking out processes, practices, and materials that are sustainable and that ensure a better future for the people and the environments involved.
Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei
– For us and our children after us.
Products
Scarves, masks, clothing platters, toys, decor, pillows, fabrics
Website
