"Or is there an equivalent in another country of the symbolic and cultural distinctness of the Appalachians and Rockies? Mountains no less than rivers sustain musical cultures and at the same time have mythic qualities in the inagination. Rocky Mountain High, Clinch Mountain Home, The Mountains of Mourne..."

There sort of is in Ukraine. The Carpathians, in the West have their own traditions, dialect and music, which are rather different to the plains in the East, where Russian influence has been stronger. There is a tradition of wasailing, which has died out elsewhere. Life in the Carpathians was also more isolated, kind of like the Apalachians. There are also a lot more Polish and German influences than in the east. Fiddles, flutes, whistles and cimbaloms are common, whereas in the east instruments are sparse, often only an accordeon. How could I forget alpine horns! The choreography in this one is fairly modern and stilted, but you get the idea. ww w.youtube. com/watch?v=ucuD01CR9bM&feature=related
This is a bit more like it. www .youtube. com/watch?v=9uwBy75BOTE&feature=related
http:// www. youtube. com/watch?v=OU8w8UN77E0&feature=related

A pop treatment. www .youtube .com/watch?v=7S4-kZJMo_4&feature=related

This is the real deal.
www .youtube .com/watch?v=QejogvxnZc0&feature=related
This is fun. www. youtube. com/watch?v=Z4OIJWY0cX8&feature=related


Here are some examples of Eastern Ukranian music, performed by a Cossack Choir from the Kuban, which is in Russia! That musical tradition has mostly died out in Eastern Ukraine, but was kept going by the Kuban Cossacks, who are descended from Ukrainian Cossacks.
www. youtube .com/watch?v=qmKa4PXW2zI
www. youtube. com/watch?v=TDiuz-qC1rI&feature=related
www. youtube .com/watch?v=jx7_x2ehpIg&feature=related

For those interested, here is a bit of modern folklore from central Ukraine, which is a mix of both. www. youtube .com/watch?v=bKT9_fu7M_Q&feature=related