        upright|thumb|doll representations of a kodava couple in traditional attire, india indigenous peoples are those groups specially protected in international or national legislation as having a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory, and their cultural or historical distinctiveness from other populations.coates 2004:12 the legislation is based on the conclusion that certain indigenous people are vulnerable to exploitation, marginalization and oppression by nation states formed from colonising populations or by politically dominant, different ethnic groups. a special set of political rights in accordance with international law have been set forth by international organizations such as the united nations, the international labour organization and the world bank. the united nations has issued a declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples to guide member-state national policies to collective rights of indigenous peopleâsuch as culture, identity, language, and access to employment, health, education, and natural resources. although no definitive definition of "indigenous peoples" exists, estimates put the total population of indigenous peoples from 220 million to 350 million.bodley 2008:2 == original meaning of indigenous == the adjective indigenous is derived from the latin [[et
Ethnic_groups Indigenous_peoples