Two meanings of “indigenous” fuel European nationalism
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Across Europe, the word “indigenous” carries two distinct meanings. Many Europeans picture distant, romanticized communities defending their lands from colonizers, a vision shaped by popular fiction. Simultaneously, nationalist groups claim to be the “original” inhabitants of their countries, suggesting that more recent arrivals have fewer rights to the same territory.
This tension is particularly strong in the Balkans, but exists elsewhere.
Social scientists Maykel Verkuyten and Jochem Thijs of Utrecht University explain that ideas of being “native” create a division between a natural “host” population and conditional “guests.” Believing a country belongs to its first inhabitants can justify claiming ownership of territory and lead to negative attitudes towards newcomers. This dynamic is visible in how Europeans have historically understood Native Americans, initially through exaggerated and often inaccurate portrayals in books and films.
Over time, depictions of Native Americans evolved, sometimes presenting them as victims of conquest or as complex individuals. Similar shifts occurred in European Westerns and comics, which began to portray indigenous peoples as actors within the story rather than simply background elements. Even in Yugoslavia, local comic book production alongside translated Westerns reinforced themes of resistance to oppression, though this history contrasts sharply with the nationalist violence of the 1990s.
Today, selective use of historical narratives and even genetic research are employed to support claims of ancestral rights and justify exclusion.
