12 Bożena Gierek The second section of the book, in which ritual and cultural values are highlighted, contains four chapters. In the first one Kiyoshi Umeya shows the impact of modernization and globalization on the society of Jopadhola in Eastern Uganda, which is reflected in their feast of sending off the dead. As the Author notices, for financial reasons the feast has been shortened, condensed, and simplified. On the other hand, the funeral business has developed. The simplification of funeral rituals impinges on the relationship between the dead and the living, which has become a cosmological issue. All these changes have led to the undermining of the indigenous value system. Changes in the value system are also traced by Tatiana Minniyakhmetova, whose subject of research are two traditional Udmurt feasts that involve sacrificing domestic animals. As in the case of the African feast, also here the changes in the feasts reflect social and cultural changes, to which belong: a decrease in the number of family members followed by a smaller number of guests participating in the feasts; shifting the days of the celebration to the weekends, as well as shortening the duration of the feasts due to dispersed places of living of the family members and guests; alteration in the domestic food economy, e.g., in breeding animals and dishes served during the feasts. The latter influences rituals conducted during the ceremonies. Bożena Gierek, the Author of the third chapter in this section, indicates a range of changes in the celebration of the local feast of Lajkonik (Hobby Horse) in Kraków (Poland), which are the result of social and cultural changes. She analyzes and compares the performances at different times, paying attention to such elements as: general display, the day of the feast, the attire of the performers, the props used during the celebration, the place of the feast (the route and the place of banqueting), the activities accompanying the feast, and the number of spectators and their behavior. In fact, none of them have withstood the test of the time. The Author of the last chapter, Frédéric Armao, elaborates on the Irish feast of Bealtaine, in ancient times marking the beginning of summer, at the hill of Uisneach. One of the major events was a great assembly, hence it is the pivot of the chapter. A very thorough description and then comparison of the ancient and contemporary festivals enable us to see the differences in the celebrations and changes that Irish society has undergone. The last section of the book, on policy interfering in culture, contains two chapters. In the first one, Marek Moroń presents the Muslim feast of Eid ulAdha, which involves animal (cow) sacrifice as a political instrument of manipulation and the promotion of hate and violence between the communities of Hindus and Muslims in Bengal. The Author shows how political priorities
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