What Do You Mean, Indigenous? The official definitions by the
World Council of Indigenous Peoples is: "1. the original
inhabitants of an area; 2. the descendants of the original
inhabitants of an area who are colonized, or 3. those who live
in an Indigenous way." The Sami Council adds: "those whose
grandparents spoke the Sami language, or who live in a Sami way
and are recognized as being Sami by the Sami society." Or, as
some say, "It's a way of life we have!" (Adapted from BÁIKI
Issue #18, Fall 1998)