“Indigenous”, a word you can alter as an option (6)
I believe the answer is:
native
'indigenous' is the definition.
('native' can be similar in meaning to 'indigenous')
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for native that I've seen before include "One locally born" , "Resident" , "One born in a certain place" , "One who belongs to place by birth" , "Endemic - aborigine" .)