BRASILIA, March 11, 2008 (AFP) - Brazilian school children from Tuesday are to receive compulsory classes in indigenous culture and history under a new law, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's office said.

The measure puts education about Brazil's native indians on the same footing as lessons about the country'South African roots, which have already been taught for some time in primary and high schools.

'This could have been done earlier, but the initiative is welcome all the same,' the political adviser for the Indigenous Missionary Council, Paulo Maldos, said.

Brazil's population of 190 million counts 734,000 native indians. They speak 180 languages and their lands account for 13 percent of the total territory.

The country'South African descendants number 76 million.