The word ""native"" in his broad understanding is meant by the aboriginal. In case of use of this word in informal conversation, understand the person who long time lived in some territory as the native or has certain features of behavior or character. Sometimes for fun so call countrymen and inhabitants of the remote place.
Often, using a word the native, imagine the desert island, palm trees and cocoes. On this island the fire burns, and around it dances the tribe of locals. Such understanding is in many respects remembered thanks to the TV and modern movies. There the native (or the native) is presented by the poorly educated and amusing savage who is afraid of a thunder and picks bananas. Even the child in the modern industrial world knows more about surrounding life and the phenomena. Sometimes these people are shown as strongly aggressive and are engaged in cannibalism.
Of course, different cases of interaction with natives are in the history known. Including notorious experience of Cook or opposition of natives and Magellan where locals were hostile. But sometimes natives defended from overseas colonialists and aggressors.
Culture of natives
Drawing a conclusion about the one who such natives, often is not considered that natives have very interesting and quite saturated culture. The concept of continuous interaction with the nature and the world around is the cornerstone of philosophy of the majority of tribes. It is not enough in modern society.
The modern person destroys the environment, without attaching it significance whereas the native never does something, connected with destruction of the nature just for fun at all or without having the reason. The native will never catch fish more, than it is necessary for him for food, will not begin to kill an excess animal and will not break a tree. Aboriginals always realize that, destroying the environment of the dwelling, they as a result will be left without useful resources. At the same time in habitats of natives there are neither supervising organizations, nor public services which would force people to protect natural wealth.
Besides, these people have a set of interesting knowledge of the world around. They know how to find water in the forest, what plants edible and how to fight against mosquitoes.
Considering that Indians often too are called natives, it is difficult to present that such magnificent saturated culture can be referred to primitive. It is enough to look at drawings or to listen to music of these people.
Kind and angry natives
Besides spiteful and aggressive natives who met to conquerors and colonialists there are also kind natives. They do not kill people and do not eat them for obtaining strength of the killed enemy. Such natives very strongly helped out travelers and seafarers.
Cases when tribes generously presented travelers are known and showed the hospitality. Resupplied fresh water, allowed to spend the night in the village, helped Europeans to cope with fever and learned to hunt in the jungle. The people of Far North often saved from a bad weather of the lost travelers, allowing them to spend the night in the huts. At the cold winter nights of people could die, having remained in the open air. There is a lot of similar examples, and all of them show good nature of most of natives.
Interestingly and the fact that conditions which will seem the real hell on the earth for most of unprepared travelers for natives are a usual and habitual environment. Fights with crocodiles, midges clouds, poisonous insects and frosts under-60 degrees are capable to kill any tourist, but natives cope with these difficulties and are glad to share experience with travelers.