The 8th Movement is a series of digital photographs that use the portraits of Mi’kmaq people to portray Mi’kmaq legends. The 8th movement refers to the eighth historical moment in Aboriginal history, which began in 2008. The 8th movement is the Aboriginal idea of “the future”. Each portrait is the representation of a form of “power” as demonstrated in the different legends.  The word power, in this case, is referring to the conscious alteration of the world through the actions of every living thing. The 8th Movement is a visual strategy to initiate meaningful dialogue between diverse cultures while focusing on the Mi’kmaq perception of the world.  This dialogue displays relevance because Mi’kmaq legends are traditionally passed down orally. The subjects that are represented in the portraits are constructed from moral, ideological, spiritual and survival roles, and values, within the legends.

 

A new perception of things emerges. The words of the myth have invoked it, and the reality behind the myth reaches out to encompass all who will listen.   – Ruth Holmes Whitehead