Indigenous peoples of varying cultures lived in the area for thousands of years before the advent of European colonization.
ɪndˈɪdʒənəs pˈiːpəlz ʌv vˈɛɹiɪŋ kˈʌltʃɚz lˈɪvd ɪnðɪ ˈɛɹiə fɔːɹ θˈaʊzəndz ʌv jˈɪɹz bᵻfˌoːɹ ðɪ ˈædvɛnt ʌv jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən kˌɑːlənᵻzˈeɪʃən.