Definition of indigenous

The word "indigenous" originates from the Latin prefix "in-" meaning "not" or "unchanged," and the Latin word "genus" meaning "kind" or "race." The word was coined by the 18th-century Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in his classification system for living organisms, where it referred to species that were native or "unchanged" in their place of origin. By the early 20th century, the term "indigenous" began to be used in reference to human populations inhabiting territories since time immemorial, often before the arrival of colonizers. It carried the sense of "original" or "autochthonous" peoples, who were said to be "rooted" or "grounded" in their lands and cultures. However, the term "indigenous" also reflects the unequal power relations and histories of colonization that have shaped its usage. Indigenous communities have been subjected to forced assimilation, displacement, and genocide, and the concept of "indigeneity" has been utilized to devalue and dispossess them by casting them as traditional, static, or inferior. As a result, indigenous scholars and activists have critiqued and reclaimed the term, highlighting its political, social, and spiritual dimensions, and emphasizing the importance of sovereignty, autonomy, and self-determination in decolonization and reconciliation efforts. The term is increasingly used as a badge of pride and a symbol of resistance in Indigenous cultures, where it recognizes their enduring connections to their lands, resources, and histories.