Titled Tuhaarutut, meaning "trying to remember the lyrics," the two discs contain at least 20 tracks of singing, throat singing and drumming, and were recorded by a Yellowknkife-based company, Spirit Walker Productions. It's due out this spring.

Simailak said that the project should keep the old songs alive and revive those forgotten by many people.

"I hope the younger ones start learning the songs from their mothers and their grandmothers," she said.

Simailak, who sings with her mom, Martha Talrook, and her older sister, Winnie Owingak, said she has learned a lot about life on the land and survival from the old songs.

"It's very deep in your heart -- the songs about hunting and suffering when there was no food."

Sally Webster, manager of Baker Lake Fine Arts and Crafts, organized the recording after she heard Simailak singing with her mother and older sister.

It was so touching, she remembers, she decided to find out how to make a recording.

Webster found $5,000 through a grant from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and got Calm Air to provide free transportation for Norm Glowach from Spirit Walker Productions.

The group, she added, still has to raise $4,000 to finish paying for the recording. But it was all worth it, she said.

"It's an exercise to revive and preserve old songs," she said. "The old people aren't going to live long -- maybe 10 years. Some are over 80 years old."

Webster said she expects the CDs to be launched at the grand opening of the Baker Lake museum June 3. The CDs will also be sold at the museum after that date.