I've answered your call!!
I'm quite surprized, but you're reading my thoughts on both of those topics.
1) there will be natives that will act as some kind of minimalistic PvE mobs. They will be mostly naked or be wearing some armor parts that they have salvaged from unlucky colonists bodies. Can't say more ATM
2) we currently plan that those races will have minor differences gameplay wise and almost no visual differences (no racial architecture, racial armors at release date). They will ahve some stat/skill raising boosts and there will be some weaponry that can be considered as "racial" but there will be no restrictions on that weaponry at all.