In this first programme, Griff crosses the globe to the remote Torres Strait Islands between Australia and Papua New Guinea to explore what remains of an unusually creative and warlike culture. Cut off from the rest of the world for most of their history, the islanders were fierce head-hunters who believed in magic and sorcery. What made their art so striking and powerful? Why are the islanders so reluctant to give up their secrets? And can Griff solve the mysteries surrounding a strange and compelling mask?

Griff Rhys Jones continues his quest to find traditional art in remote places by travelling to West Africa. Antique carvings from the region can fetch millions of pounds, but what makes a piece 'authentic', and are they still being made? Is there such a thing as pure African art? Griff starts his investigation in the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali, where the Dogon people have used their carvings and sculptures as a spiritual tool to help them survive. Can belief in the power of these objects withstand the march of modernity? In a revelatory journey which ends in Accra, the capital of Ghana, Griff learns that the passage of history and modern realities have had a surprising influence on invention and creativity in contemporary West Africa.

In his quest to find out if traditional art still thrives among the indigenous people of the world, Griff Rhys Jones goes to India in search of exquisite textiles. Can he solve the mystery of an extraordinary Indian floor cloth kept in Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire for over 300 years? Who made it and does the skill that produced such a work still exist? Griff travels to Gujarat in India, famed throughout history for its beautiful handmade textiles. He goes off the beaten tracks to the towns and villages of the north-west plains and discovers how centuries-old printing, dyeing and embroidery techniques are still the cornerstones to a way of life. Finally, he travels to the heart of one of the most reclusive and fiercely traditional societies in India, the Rabari, who are famed for their toughness and their astonishing embroidery. Here, women spend years sewing dowry gifts - but can the custom survive in the 21st century?