The indigenous population refers to the native people who originally inhabited a specific region or area. In the context of colonial-era California, the indigenous population refers to the various Native American tribes and communities that lived in the region prior to European colonization.
Related terms
Colonization: The process by which a foreign power establishes control over another land or nation.
Assimilation: The act of absorbing one culture into another, often through forceful means.
Cultural genocide: The deliberate destruction of a group's culture, traditions, language, and way of life.