The main difference between indigenous and tribal is that indigenous refers to being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place, whereas tribal refers to being a member of a tribe, a distinct people that share a common ancestor, culture, beliefs, customs, and traditions.
Indigenous and tribal are two closely related terms. Both refer to groups of people who share certain qualities and characteristics and are distinct from the mainstream society
Key Areas Covered
1. What Does Indigenous Mean
– Definition, Features
2. What Does Tribal Mean
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Indigenous and Tribal
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Indigenous, Tribal, People
What Does Indigenous Mean
Indigenous is an adjective that means “produced, living, or existing naturally in a particular region or environment.” We generally use this word to describe plants, animals, and people. Indigenous people are a group of people who are native to a particular place. The American Heritage Dictionary defines indigenous as “being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place,” and Oxford Dictionary defines it as “originating or occurring naturally in a particular place.” Overall, these definitions stress the aspect of geography; indigenous people are specific to a particular place or region.
While the term indigenous is commonly used as a synonym for aboriginal and native, it mostly refers to the native people of America. Indigenous is the most accepted, commonly used, and politically correct term out of the two – aboriginal and original. Organizations like United Nations, as well as government institutions, generally use the term indigenous. However, finding out the name preferred by the particular group of people you are referring to and using that name instead of using general terms like aboriginal and indigenous is always a better and more respectful way to address this issue.
What Does Tribal Mean
The adjective tribal means “displaying loyalty to a tribe, group, or tribal values.” A tribe is a social group that possesses certain characteristics and qualities that make it a unique social, cultural, and political entity. Generally, people belonging to this group share common ancestors, culture, beliefs, customs, and traditions.
Furthermore, a primary characteristic of a tribe is its unity. Tribes share unity with each other, the land they live on, as well as their past. Most tribes are entirely self-sufficient and do not depend on the government for politics or money. They live off the land and make money by selling the goods they produce. Moreover, tribes usually know their land well and stay on it as much as possible. Even if tribes live close to other tribes, they have the common respect to stay within their boundaries (unless they are at war). Another main characteristic is that most common communities have a common totemic ancestor or totem, an object that has importance to people. Since tribes have a common ancestor, their totems represent the ones who started their original tribe. They may also worship this totem. More importantly, tribal people are not integrated into the main society.
Difference Between Indigenous and Tribal
Definition
Indigenous refers to being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place, whereas tribal refers to being a member of a tribe, a distinct people that share a common ancestor, culture, beliefs, customs, and traditions.
Nature
Indigenous peoples refer to descents from those who inhabited geographical regions at the time of colonization, conquest, or establishment of present state boundaries. Tribal people, on the other hand, are people whose cultural, social, and economic conditions differ from other sections of the national community.
Conclusion
The main difference between indigenous and tribal is that indigenous refers to being a member of the original inhabitants of a particular place, whereas tribal refers to being a member of a tribe, a distinct people that share a common ancestor, culture, beliefs, customs, and traditions.
Reference:
1. “Indigenous peoples.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “People, celebration, tribe, festival, dancers, dancing, history, tribal..” (CC0) via Pxhere
2. “Bena indigenous Ngada village (Flores, Indonesia 2016)” By (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
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