First Light
“It’s not just about removing children, it’s dismantling every aspect of their being in the process.” —gkisedtanamoogk
Synopsis
For centuries, the United States government has taken Native American children away from their tribes and nations, devastating parents and denying children their traditions, culture, and identity. First Light, part of the Dawnland series, documents these practices from the 1800s to today and tells the story of an unprecedented experiment in truth-telling and healing for Wabanaki people and child welfare workers in Maine.
In 2015 the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission concluded that Native people in Maine continue to be targets of "cultural genocide." The commission is the topic of Upstander Project’s Emmy® award-winning documentary film, Dawnland, which aired on Independent Lens in 2018.
first light Trailer
How can I watch first light?
We offer a number of different ways to view our films so you can choose the option that suits your needs best:
“First Light is a painful but hopeful film…. The close-up look at Maine gives this film its personal and poignant feel, but the film emphasizes this was a national phenomenon.”
“First Light expertly communicates the process of the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission and their role in helping acknowledge
painful truths. Both the film and accompanying learning resources are outstanding educational tools for Maine’s teachers to consider using in their classrooms.”
Meet the first light filmmaking team
Directors: Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip
Producers: Adam Mazo and N. Bruce Duthu (Houma)
Editors: Ben Pender-Cudlip and Kristen Salerno
Learning Director: Mishy Lesser, Ed.D.
Advisors: Chico Colvard, David Joseph, Dick Olsen, Donna Hicks, and Robert Koenig
Executive Producer: Beth Murphy
Music: Hawk Henries (Nimpuc)
Reflect more deeply on First light
Our learning resources for First Light connect teachers and students to primary and secondary sources as well as questions and activities so they can deepen their understanding of the brutal and disturbing history of settler colonialism, its impact on Native peoples, and the healing that can accompany a truth and reconciliation commission.