Definition of 'Indigenous'

There are two distinct but related senses or meaning for this word. 

1. adj, having originated in, or being native to a land, region or place.  This first is the original sense from the Latin ‘indigen’, meaning native or originating in that place.  When using this meaning the word is usually written starting with a lowercase ‘i’ it can refer to things, plants, animals and people that originated in the place being referenced.  The word can be used to refer to individuals as being indigenous to the place of their birth; the word is rarely used this way today.
2. adj, any culturally distinct people group who  descended  from those considered original inhabitants of a region or country prior to colonisation, and any individual person from such a people group. Typically they maintain a historical continuity with pre-colonial societies having distinct social, cultural, economic, and political structures as well as unique knowledge systems, languages and beliefs.  Indigenous people are often minority groups within and sometimes across national boundaries. Strong links to land, connections with natural resources and ancient cultural history are characteristic of Indigenous societies.   Where this meaning is used, for the original people groups of a country, the word is spelt with a capital ‘I’. 

Despite the loose definition provided above, it must be said that the term Indigenous, when referring to a group of people, has a somewhat contested definition.  Particularly as the original meaning of the word can be used to refer to place of birth and thus could be used native born citizens. Indigenous with a capital ‘I’ however refers the origin of ones cultural and racial identity not the place of ones birth.  Note that the word is an adjective and should never be used without a noun, e.g.  Do not say, “Australia’s Indigenous” – rather say “Australia’s Indigenous people”

Most definitions of Indigenous are flawed and create confusion because of the variety of people groups that are trying to be included in the one definition. In trying to define any people or person, the definer may be in fact labelling them with a title with which they do not truly identify.  The term, however difficult, is the politically and often academically accepted term in mainstream Australia and many parts of the English speaking world and seems to be replacing the more confronting term ‘First nations’ in international discourse.   The terms seem to have become popular in ‘Western’ nations and mainstream Australia in order to refer to a range of people groups within modern national boundaries that identify separately but have pre-colonial ties to that territory.  Prior to the rise of ‘Indigenous’ the word used was ‘Aboriginal’.  For a time it was not considered appropriate to refer to the first nations of Australia as ‘Aboriginal’ but rather by their specific title such a Koori, Murry, Arranta or Yolngu for example.  ‘Indigenous people’ has become the politically correct term to refer to these groups generally, and to a degree has undermined the separate identities Indigenous groups in Australia where trying to forge in the minds of the dominant culture.  It must be remembered that there were many different Indigenous people groups in Australia, despite the many similarities in culture, history and physical appearances.

Throughout this website, when we refer to Indigenous (capital ‘I’) people, communities, culture etc. When we do so we are referring to the Indigenous peoples of Australia. The Indigenous peoples of Australia include all the Australian Aboriginal people groups and Torres Strait Islanders.

Other Definitions

Aboriginal

Aborigine

Balanda

Capacity

Cross-Cultural

Dominant Culture

World View

Yolngu