Legal Definitions - indigenous

Definition: Indigenous (from Latin indigena which means “native to the country”) refers to the earliest known people of a region or country. It is often used to describe the remaining population of a place that was colonized by a now-dominant group. The indigenous population can be referred to as first peoples, first nations, native peoples, or autochthonous peoples (in reference to a specific location).

Examples:

• The Maori people of New Zealand are considered indigenous.
• The Inuit people of Canada are an example of an indigenous population.
• The Native American tribes of North America are also considered indigenous.

These examples illustrate how indigenous refers to the earliest known people of a region or country. The Maori people of New Zealand, the Inuit people of Canada, and the Native American tribes of North America are all groups that have lived in their respective regions for thousands of years before being colonized by European settlers.