SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Last weekend's Folk on the Rocks championed the theme of Global Fusion with a line-up featuring an array of musicians from the south that represented an exciting spectrum of musical cultures.

However, one of the finest expressions of musical diversity during the festival grew up right here in Yellowknife.

Hmayak Mikayelyan sang and played accordion music from his native Armenia on the main stage last weekend. Mikayelyan also presented a potpourri of popular Armenian music on his keyboard that had the audience clapping and dancing along. - Daron Letts/NNSL photo

An hour-long concert on the festival main stage, titled North is Home, brought together a variety of singers, musicians and storytellers who shared spoken word and music from across the planet.

"We talk about global fusion throughout the whole festival, but those cultures that are right here in our own community create their own little global fusion," said festival director Lynn Feasey. "I think it's very special that we have a chance to experience that and to know some of these people through their own stories."

The concert developed from a photo exhibit created by Ozgur Culha, titled Home, that she staged at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre last winter. Culha moved to Canada from Istanbul, Turkey, in 2001 and embraced the North as her home four years ago.

With support from the NWT Arts Council, Culha photographed immigrants, elders and youth from around the North, compiling 23 portraits shot in Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.

"The project has evolved itself over the time and it developed a strong voice to remind of some of the universal values that human beings long for, for the sake of the better world," Culha explained. "These values can be summarized as unity, love, hope, freedom, tolerance, justice, dignity and peace."

Culha collaborated with digital music producer Besart Hysniu, who is an Albanian from Kosova, to add a musical component to the show last winter. Hysniu, along with Tim Gerwing, created a CD of music and stories reflecting the Northern diversity captured in Culha's photographs.

Seven performers who recorded on the CD presented music and stories on stage during the North is Home concert at the Folk on the Rocks last Sunday.

Proceeds from the North is Home CD sales at Folk on the Rocks were collected for the YWCA.