Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Mar 18/02) - It's hard to believe something positive has come out of the federal government's E5 numbers.

And yet, decades later, the system of registering Inuit has inspired a funky new CD due to be released in Iqaluit this week by Lucie Idlout.

Entitled E5-770, My Mother's Name, Idlout dedicated the CD to her mother, Leah.

Leah is one of thousands of Inuit whose original identity was threatened by a cataloguing system developed by the government to make administration easier for them.

"Growing up, my mother often quoted her E disc to me, but I didn't fully understand what it meant until I was in my 20s," said Idlout, back at home in Iqaluit to release the CD and perform during the Arctic Winter Games.

Government officials began using the E numbers in the 1930s -- printed on discs and worn around the neck -- to allegedly register Inuit for government programs. People from the North Baffin region were all given numbers that began with E5 and individual numbers were then assigned. Idlout's mother, according to the federal government, was named E5-770.

"It reminded me of Jews and the tattooed numbers they experienced. It's important people be aware that Canada doesn't have an innocent history," said Idlout.

"Many people don't understand what Inuit have experienced."

Describing the music on the ten-track CD as "chunk/folk with a rock angst bent," Idlout spent the last two years writing, recording and mixing the songs. The end result is a contemporary sound destined to give music performed and produced by Inuit an innovative new reputation.

"I think people are expecting something fairly lighthearted with Inuktitut lyrics," explained Idlout.

"It's nothing like that."

While she's somewhat nervous about sharing the CD with her mother, Idlout said it will be nice to pay tribute to Leah and to thank her for her unending support.

As well as performing the theme song for the AWG -- a song she co-wrote and recorded in Iqaluit last March -- Idlout will hit the stage on March 19 at 8:15 p.m. at the FOL-site during one of the daily cultural performances scheduled for the Games.

The CD is available for purchase in Iqaluit.