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Show 138 the number of teachers, improving their preparation, and creating more schools. For education to have force and to be extended to all illiterates, specially to the Indians, it is necessary-more than to inaugurate schools and increase teachers-to create a vital interest so that the Indian feels an imperative necessity to learn to read and write. Before teaching anything, it must be clear that the new knowledge is going to fill a real need experienced by the people. If this is not the case, the necessity should first be created. This article clearly shows that the way to create the feeling that education is necessary is to see that the Indians are the owners of the land they work. Those who work their own lands have to solve numerous problems which require knowing how to read and write and therefore presuppose education, thus creating an interest in education. Those who work the land of others, although they may have learned to read and write, will soon forget since the knowledge has no function for them. The author of this article proves these statements, citing concrete cases that he had the opportunity of observing in communities of Ecuador where literacy programs have been carried out. 1961 Leon-Portilla, Miguel. "El Legado Intelectual y Literario de Las Culturas Indigenas Americanas," America Indigena, XXI No. 1 (January, 1961), pp. 33-38. English Summary: The literary and intellectual heritage of the American Indian cultures, although very rich, has been little studied and is almost unknown. This is especially true with respect to cultures such as the Maya-Quiche, the Nahuatl (Toltec-Aztec) of Mexico and the Quechua of Peru. This article, presented by the sub-Director of this Institute as a proposal in the IV Inter-American Indian Congress, demonstrates on one hand the origin and existence of the literary production of these Indian cultures, noting some of the principal studies made to date. The author's object is to show the necessity for a knowledge of this intellectual heritage reaching the general public, in order to achieve three objectives of great importance: 1) knowledge of the pre-Hispanic intellectual culture on the part of the non-Indians which would help to awaken a greater appreciation for the native population, recognizing that it is capable of great creations. This would generate an even greater interest for participating in the undertaking of improving the living conditions of the descendants of those ancient creators of culture |