Inca ruin of Sacsayhuamán near Cusco, Peru

© SL_Photography/Getty Image

Celebrating Indigenous culture. International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

Today, we are celebrating the heritage and culture of native populations worldwide. There are some 5,000 Indigenous cultures in 90 countries around the world, from Samoa and Greenland to New Zealand and Nepal. One of the major challenges they face is the loss of their languages: it's estimated that of the 4,000 Indigenous languages in the world, around 2,600 are in danger of becoming extinct.

In the city of Cusco, Peru, the stone walls of Sacsayhuamán, seen in today's image, murmur tales of the mighty Inca civilisation. The Quechua word Sacsayhuamán means 'the place where the hawk is satisfied'. The citadel's walls, which extended over 540 metres, were built in the 15th century CE. The boulders used to make them were carved and placed without mortar. After the Inca Empire was defeated at a battle here in 1536, Sacsayhuamán was dismantled by the Spanish and the rest of the structure was covered in earth. It was rediscovered in 1934 when the site was excavated. On this day, let's learn the importance of preserving Indigenous cultures and wisdom, as we honour the Indigenous peoples.