A very long time ago in a]college anthropology classes I was taught that ‘civilization’ meant that a culture had grown to the point of establishing cities. Aborigines may well be the oldest continuous culture on earth. More power to them! But they never got to the stage of agriculture and cities. Unless, of course, we have redefined ‘civilization’ to include any group of people, since all cultures are equal.
The abos and sub-Saharans never built multi-story dwellings, until outsiders showed up and helped them.
Something our Indians did quite well, from Chaco Canyon NM to the many civilizations of Central and South America.
Can you call a conglomeration of mud huts a true city?