Assimilation was not considered one of the keys to successful colonization, but rather one of the keys to unsuccessful colonization. Colonizers often aimed to assimilate the native population to ensure control and exploitation. This strategy was detrimental to the native cultures, as it led to the loss of traditional lifeways, traditions, languages, and identities. Instead, respecting and valuing the diversity and uniqueness of native cultures could provide a basis for more just and sustainable relationships.