LIFE, death and rebirth: the eternal cycle has been central to human cultures since time immemorial.

Rituals enacted in midwinter ensured the return of the sun in springtime to breathe life back into the barren soil and bring fertility to the land so that its inhabitants may reap a plentiful harvest.

As cultures have become more industrialised and moved away from a direct connection with the land and the cycles of nature, and science and technology have replaced a reliance on magic and ritual to control the unpredictable forces of nature, so these traditional rituals have been lost in most areas. However, in some rural areas, our cultural heritage is being kept alive.

In Ireland, groups of "Mummers" still perform the traditional midwinter rituals. In Bulgaria "Kukeri" is the name given to these practices. The rituals are a way of keeping alive a rich culture of traditions, as well as bringing together communities, and in the case of the Irish and Bulgarian groups, of fostering cross-cultural ties. But, says Jim Ledwith, International Programmes Manager of the Mummers Foundation, "first and foremost it's about having fun."

Jim and fellow Mummers, including Desmond Reilly of Derrylin, County Fermanagh and Fergus Thompson of the Ards Rhymers group, County Down, have made many trips to Bulgaria since 2003 as part of the EU programme for peace and reconciliation. The aim of the programme is to bring together the competing traditions of Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland through their common heritage of Mumming and to make contact with the wider world. In this case the `wider world' is Eastern Europe, specifically Bulgaria as this is where they have found "friendships and relationships", which is why they keep coming back, said Jim. The group have visited Bulgarian towns and villages such as Pernik, Gabrovo, Stara Zagora and Yambol, where they have taken part in the masked rituals with local Kukeri groups, forging ties and friendships with the communities.

As a result of these activities, representatives of Kukeri from all over Bulgaria will travel to Ireland for December 8-14 to coincide with the first state visit of Bulgarian President Purvanov to Ireland. His visit marks the closure of Britain's EU presidency, and is also evidence of the ties between Bulgaria and Ireland. Jim points out that Bertie Ahern helped Bulgaria in EU accession negotiations and that Ireland has recently opened a full-scale embassy in Sofia. The Bulgarians will take part in North Ireland's only Mumming festival, held over the weekend of December 10 in the city of Armargh, the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland of both religious traditions, Ireland's oldest city and the ancient capital of Ulster. The programme will include performances in schools and towns. The Bulgarians will then perform at a state banquet in Phoenix Park, Dublin before the Bulgarian and Irish heads of state.

Next year, it will be the turn of the Irish to come to Bulgaria to take part in Bulgaria's biggest Mumming festival, the Surva International festival of the Masquerade Games, held in Pernik from January 27 to 29. The Irish group are the first from Britain or Ireland to take part in the festival, which sees about 5000 Mummers gathering from across Bulgaria, Poland, Macedonia, Serbia, Sardinia, Slovenia and Lithuania, as well as other European, Asian and African countries, to take part in the fun.

The fun involves the enactment of the classic "combat drama" which forms the basis of the Mumming ritual. Two heroes engage in battle. The heroes' identity changes depending on which culture is performing the ritual. For example, in Ireland, St. Patrick is a common figure. One of the heroes dies in the battle, "representing the death of winter", explains Jim. He is then revived by a doctor character, representing rebirth. This is symbolic of the fertility of spring following the desolation of winter. The combat drama is followed by much celebration with music, song and dance, all of which contribute to the "superb colour, noise and spectacle," said Jim.

An exhibition of Mumming is on display at the Ethnographic Institute and Museum, curated by ethnologist Iglika Mishkova. The exhibition comprises a comprehensive and informative collection including Mumming artefacts, photographs and costumes, which is on display for the next three months. The Ethnographic Institute and Museum, 6A Moskova Street, Sofia. Open Tuesday to Sunday.