The AROHA system is a collaborative approach developed by Alexander Stevens to help professionals learn how to pronounce their clients’ names. It involves asking the person directly to help you learn and repeating until you get it right. By genuinely trying, you show that you care for the person and help them feel valued and safe. By the way, AROHA means love, affection, compassion or empathy in Te Reo Māori.
Ask the person how to pronounce their name
Repeat and rectify: If you got it wrong, sincerely apologize and try to correct your pronunciation.
Openness: Be open to learning and trying again and again.
Help and encourage others to also try the approach.
Affirm people for trying, both yourself and others.
“Our new family nurse asked me how to pronounce both my first and last name properly. She said ‘I don’t want to pronounce your name incorrectly so can you tell me how to pronounce it right so that I get it right every time you have to see me.’ I was just shocked, I said ‘yeah sure, very excited and pleased, yeah’, so we went over it 3 or 4 times. She kept going until she got it. She just repeating it after I said it. The second time I slowed down a little bit and then I said ‘there’s an R in my name I said you have to roll the R.’ My perception around professionals who can correctly pronounce my name is that they care, you know that they take the time out to pronounce Maori words properly or name properly, I mean they care and you’re guaranteed to get an exceptional quality service.”
Papatūānuku