This fascinating photographic essay examines the underlying similarities in various cultural celebrations that might initially seem dramatically different. It shows how many celebrations are marked by gatherings of people to enjoy special foods and drinks, and the common use of body decorations, music, dancing and fires to honour ancestral traditions. Western cultural practices are compared to those of the Tuareg, the Aborigines, the Inuit, the Sami, the Balinese and the Yanomami of the Amazon basin.