top of page
First Light Institute
"The future of humanity — and its present — depends on listening to Indigenous peoples: to what they know of the world, to what they have to teach us; and how they can help our species both survive and thrive."
- Wade Davis, Ph.D., Canadian anthropologist & author, 1953 - present
The First Light Institute is the headquarters for the First Light Group. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, "F.L.I." is being designed to serve the diverse needs and interests of an equally diverse community. Please read below and our Land Acknowledgement for more information about why we have selected Santa Fe to be our base in North America.
White Shell Water Place
The people of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo call it Kua' p'o - oge ("the Place of Shell-Beads Near the Water"). The people of the Santa Clara Pueblo call it O'gha Po'ogeh ("White Shell Water Place”). The Navajo (Diné) call it Yoo’tó ("beaded water"). All these names reference the freshwater mussels that used to grow in the springs and rivers of the area and whose shells and pearls were used to make beads and other jewelry. And all these names reflect the care and understanding given to the land and its resources by those who lived in the region thousands of years before the Spanish arrived.
We at First Light acknowledge the history and heritage of the people indigenous to this land and are grateful for the reverence, stewardship, and wisdom that still exists in their descendants today.
Santa Fe - The City Different
In 1598 AD, Spanish colonizer Juan de Oñate renamed the area "Santa Fe de Nuevo México," a province of New Spain, before he was banished and exiled by the Spanish for being too cruel to the native populations.
In 1607 AD, New Mexico's second Spanish governor, Pedro de Peralta, founded a new city farther south, at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which he called "La Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asís" ("the Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi"). In 1610, he designated it as the capital of the province.
This settlement remained and, as a result, Santa Fé (Spanish for "Holy Faith") is the oldest state capital in the United States and the earliest European settlement west of the Mississippi River.
New Mexico's Rich Cultural Heritage
Placing the headquarters of First Light here was 100% intentional, as Santa Fe's unique blend of indigenous, Spanish, and American influences combine to create the perfect backdrop for us to explore and celebrate indigenous wisdom, consciousness, and the environment. Native American culture has been present in what is now called New Mexico for over 2,500 years. It is the ancestral home of the Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache people and is home today to 23 sovereign nations (19 Pueblos, 3 Apache tribes, and the Navajo Nation), each with its own unique heritage and way of life.
This rich cultural heritage provides First Light Institute with limitless opportunities for deeper study, learning, and engagement.
Programming as Diverse as its People
While First Light Studios films and creates content all over the world, the First Light Institute is intentionally focused on what it can offer people who live in (or visit) New Mexico.
Our plans at F.L.I. include the creation of a wide and diverse slate of programming, including workshops, courses, and lectures that align with First Light's mission to engage, inspire, and elevate humanity. Through F.L.I., we can apply this more specifically to those living in Santa Fe and the surrounding area, including (and especially) those from indigenous communities in New Mexico.
More details of this plan will be revealed in the coming months. If you share this passion and want to hear more, please contact us so we can explore partnership opportunities.
bottom of page