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Indigenous Responses to Imperialism

Definition

This refers to the various ways in which native or indigenous people reacted and adapted to the imposition of foreign control, often through European imperialism, during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Analogy

Think of this like a neighborhood where a new, powerful family moves in and starts making all the rules. The original families (indigenous people) have different ways of responding - some might try to resist or fight back, others might try to adapt or negotiate with the new family (imperial powers), while others may be forced into submission.

Related terms

Resistance Movements: These are organized efforts by some portion of the civil population of a country to resist the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability.

Assimilation Policies: These are governmental policies aimed at absorbing indigenous peoples into the dominant culture. They often involve eradicating indigenous customs, languages, and identities.

Colonial Rule: This is a system where one nation (the colonizer) takes over another geographical area (the colony), controlling its economy, government, and cultural institutions.