Asani performs in a cappella festival.

Asani, the contemporary a cappella Aboriginal women's trio, was part of the a cappella Northern Harmony festival, held in Edmonton last month. The Edmonton-based group was officially formed in April 1997 and was this year's inductees in the Canadian A Cappella Hall of Fame. Asani is taken from the Cree word "asiniy" and means "rock." The group's name was chosen because the enduring strength of rock is reflected in the lives and music of each of its members. The trio has been influenced by traditional First Nations and Metis music. Asani's repertoire is comprised primarily of original compositions in Woodland Cree and English.