In turn, the colonised indigenous are perceived by the states as anti-state. They stand outside the standard framework for international law, a situation suggesting that the problem is not the indigenous peoples, but the standard framework in force. While cultures have existed from time immemorial, national states are largely modern innovations. Many are doubtful authenticity with dubious boundaries, poor records in people management and long records in power games and war mongering. They may be audited as having confused good management with power maintenance.
Culture is resilient.
States have regularly predicted the demise of their indigenous populations when in reality, indigenous people have survived and grown stronger. States come, go or change, but cultures endure. Indigenous cultures transcend the state, crossing state boundaries. This applies for example to the Saami, American Indians, Zulu or New Zealand Maori who, although it is not always appreciated, are but a part of a wider Pacific family, cut off from political communication with their relatives through the state's assumption of authority. Indigenous cultures are not dependant on the maintenance of territorial integrity.