A speaker at the national native title conference in Alice Springs says customary law is critical to the existence of all Indigenous people.

The Northern Territory Government is undertaking a study of customary law to consider how it might be incorporated into the justice system.

Christine Zuni Cruz from the University of New Mexico School of Law is a native American and has studied customary law of Indigenous people around the world.

She says all things revolve around customary law for Indigenous people.

"It's essential to Indigenous peoples to be able to have this law, to have all of their institutions, their systems of governance, systems of justice, informed by this law," she said.

"It's critical to Indigenous peoples wherever Indigenous peoples exist."