I was in Peru last week where most of my time was spent in the region of Cusco. They have many ancient sites built by the Incas in the country in the 12th century that will take your breath away, despite the already thin air in the mountainous region.

No matter where you go, everything is about Machu Picchu, the city of stones built by the Incas on a mountaintop at an elevation of 2,350 metres above sea level. They say it was built in the 15th century, and according to the local guide there is evidence it was not completely finished before it was abandoned.

There are many sections to the city to include agricultural terraces with housing for the workers, temples for sacrifices, calendars for seasons to determine planting, sections for nobility and a royal palace. In a few words, there is not much missing that forms a foundation for a society that existed at the time. It seems that astrology was very important for the people. The contours of the mountain the city is lodged onto is shaped like a face of an Inca king faced up to the sky.

The city had running water, still running through original aqueducts, for domestic uses and feeding plants on terraces. The Kings quarters also had a private toilet designed to wash the waste away through a separate system. There were many challenges to overcome and one of them was to maintain the control over the conquest from other groups, hence a hidden, well-protected city. As is all over the world, in this case the coming of the Spanish, with new weapons, diseases and the introduction of religion, other Inca sites more visible were taken over. The nobilities of these sites were killed and the stones from their residences were removed and used as foundations for new churches.

The Incas abandoned Machu Picchu for many reasons, and this included the Spanish invasion in the early 1500s. Machu Picchu became hidden under the blanket of the jungle, kept secret by the locals, until 1911, 400 years later. The information was finally shared with an American who revealed it to the outside world.

We have been educated to think we should live and think by imported ways of living, as the only way. Machu Picchu and many other interesting sites show that original structures can still be used today as they were when first built. Even though the original intent for building the city is not fully known, many people flock to see for themselves. What ever secrets Machu Picchu holds, one of them is that it provides a much needed employment for the region.

• John B. Zoe is the acting executive director with Tlicho government and former land claims negotiator. He holds an honorary doctorate of law.