About Karhiio

About Karhiio

Karhiio is my family’s original Mohawk name; its literal translation is “tall beautiful forest.”

My three times great grandfather was a Mohawk voyageur named the Sun Traveller who ventured west from unceeded territory, Kahnawá:ke near Montreal, in the hopes of returning to a more traditional way of life. A skilled navigator, canoeist, trapper and hunter, Louis Kwarakwante Callihoo was but one of a large group of Mohawk men to move westward. He later served as a guide to David Thompson, who remarked on the daring and skill of the Mohawks he travelled with. Louis settled around Manito Sahkahigan (Spirit Lake, now known as Lac Ste Anne), marrying into a local Cree family to start what became the Michel First Nation. His son Michel signed Treaty in 1878.

What was to follow for our band is a familiar story for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

A century and a half of government policy ruled every aspect of our band’s lives. It is only recently that Canadians have come to learn more about this – not being legally allowed to leave the reserve without permission from the Indian agent; generations of children forced to attend residential schools and the spiritual, linguistic and cultural destruction that that brought; the theft of land; no right to assemble or to legal counsel; and, countless broken promises with the government, among many, many others. This culminated in the band being collectively disenfranchised in 1958 by an Order in Council. The way in which the Michel Band lost its land is still in dispute.

Throughout this, band members have constantly worked to renegotiate a fair relationship with the state and to reassert inherent rights. Felix Calihoo was one of the founders of the Métis Association of Alberta and John Callihoo a founder of the Indian Association of Alberta. So many others have worked to build a better future for their children. To this day, there is ongoing work on behalf of the nation led by current band members.

The strength of the people that came before me is both an honor and a responsibility. I hope to be able to share these experiences, the traditional teachings I have received and to bring understanding to the bridge the gaps we see today.

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About Karhiio​

Karhiio is my family’s original Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk) name—its literal translation is “tall beautiful forest.”

My three times great grandfather was a voyageur named the Sun Traveller who ventured west from unceeded territory, Kahnawá:ke near Montreal, in the hopes of returning to a more traditional way of life. A skilled navigator, canoeist, trapper and hunter, Louis Kwarakwante Callihoo was but one of a large group of men to move westward. He later served as a guide to David Thompson, who remarked on the daring and skill of the voyageurs he travelled with.  Louis settled around Manito Sahkahigan (Spirit Lake, now known as Lac Ste Anne), marrying into a local Nêhiyâwak (Cree) family to start what became the Michel First Nation. His son Michel signed Treaty in 1878.

What was to follow for our band is a familiar story for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
A century and a half of government policy ruled every aspect of our band’s lives. It is only recently that Canadians have come to learn more about this – not being legally allowed to leave the reserve without permission from the Indian agent; generations of children forced to attend residential schools and the spiritual, linguistic and cultural destruction that that brought; the theft of land; no right to assemble or to legal counsel; and, countless broken promises with the government, among many, many others. This culminated in the band being collectively disenfranchised in 1958 by an Order in Council. The way in which the Michel Band lost its land is still in dispute.
Throughout this, band members have constantly worked to renegotiate a fair relationship with the state and to reassert inherent rights. Felix Calihoo was one of the founders of the Métis Association of Alberta and John Callihoo a founder of the Indian Association of Alberta. So many others have worked to build a better future for their children. To this day, there is ongoing work on behalf of the nation led by current band members.
The strength of the people that came before me is both an honor and a responsibility. I hope to be able to share these experiences, the traditional teachings I have received and to bring understanding to the bridge the gaps we see today.

Nella Sajlovic

I am a Métis woman and member of the Michel First Nation. For the past twenty years, I’ve worked in Government Relations, Community Relations and Indigenous specific administration. I bring the skills I have learned in my professional life: research, strategic planning, and engagement, and the teachings I have received in community into Karhiio.

I am known for relationship building and problem-solving and work to create solutions for complex challenges through collaboration and creativity. There is much to be learned from each other: having meaningful discussions can result in meaningful actions when intent and skill meet.

In a landscape where respect is paramount, I hope to bring kindness to the projects I am a part of. I established Karhiio as a way to provide consulting services that respect and advocate for Indigenous sovereignty. 

Nella Sajlovic

Our approach is based on power sharing

Traditional consultation models focus on information sharing or limited collaboration, only then moving along the continuum to greater power sharing. 

Karhiio’s goal is to upend that model, facilitating understanding, discussing opportunities and collectively designing frameworks that centre Indigenous self-determination for positive outcomes. 

Listen

Facilitate understanding — helping clients to share their vision for their communities.

Identify

​Identify processes — help craft innovative, Indigenous-centered solutions.

Design

Craft products — briefings, strategic plans, consultation frameworks and communications materials - that synthesize information for effective implementation.

Decide

Evaluate inputs — distill the contributions of community members and partner organizations to create impactful outcomes.

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Testimonials

What Our Clients
Say

Discover the impact of Karhiio’s services through the words of those we’ve partnered with

Nella is an excellent strategist. Her ability to see the full organizational picture and develop integrated goals, objectives and tactics across silos is exceptional—and she marries this approach with a thoughtful, compassionate, and encompassing Indigenous perspective. The result is truly meaningful, high-impact work that supports people at all levels to contribute to Reconciliation.

Matthew McCreary Chief of Staff, Athabasca University

Nella is a rare combination of strategic acumen and organizational competence, with an extremely high work capacity. This manifests itself in her ability to operationalize strategic principles in ways that reflect institutional priorities even – or perhaps particularly – in contexts of budget and other constraints and she undertakes this work with a spirit of humility and reciprocity.

Dr. Chris Andersen Dean, Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta

As a strategic consultant, Nella has the innate ability to see the forest through the trees. It’s through this clearing where she develops clarity in solving complex issues. She converts that clarity to build a solid foundation of trust with her clients. I can count on her to not only deliver results, but deliver them in a manner that is clear, decisive and impactful. And finally all of this is wrapped in empathy. Her experience across a broad spectrum of projects, gives her the unique ability to put herself in her client's shoes, and the audiences she is trying to reach. That's a rare gift and experience in this industry.

Sonia Piano Principal, Brand Piano

Nella has great compassion for the people she works with and cares deeply that the work is done in a Good Way. She is a great asset to any project.

Elder Fernie Marty Papaschase First Nation

Working with this Indigenous-led business has been a transformative experience. Their committment to Indigenous strategy not only honours traditional knowledge and values but also fosters sustainable practices within our community. Their approach seamlessly integrates cultural wisdom into every aspect of their operations, resulting in impactful solutions that resonate deeply with both clients and stakeholders alike.

Anthony Valente, P. Eng

Nella is at heart a teacher. She shares her own experiences and her knowledge of Indigenous-led work so that clients have the understandings needed to work from a place of respect. She wants those involved to not only learn what they did not know but to understand with empathy. This bridge building changes the people who work on these projects for the better and creates impactful outcomes.

Anya-Milana Sulaver Founder, Peeps Magazine

Every time I work with Nella, my project benefits from her insightful and thoughtful approach to the work. Because of her collaborative style, I also walk away with a deeper understanding that I can apply to my other work—and to my life.

Lisa Cook Director, Editorial Strategy, Strategic Communications, University of Alberta

Nella offers value add in all the services she provides. When working with Nella I could always count on her to consider organizational needs and bring innovative solutions to the table. She is an excellent facilitator, able to guide meaningful discussions with outcomes in mind. I highly recommend Karhiio Consulting.

Karen Wichuk, LLB, MA, ICD.D CEO, Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board