I think philosophically the problem with your position is that it assumes tradition is a sort of gold standard with no reference to living people.

Its the same sort of cultural imperialism that kids of our generation in 1950's learned at school. Little Bombo in the Belgian Congo was a pygmy living in a mud hut. But basically Little Bombo lived the same kind of life as us. A wife. Two point three kids. I love Lucy on the television, etc.

In your view of folk music - Indians are okay as long as they bang on their tablas, twang on their sitars. But what if they don't want to. Like Gerry Lockran didn't.Like Sunjay doesn't. Presumably Russians have to twang their balalaikas, and dance energetically wearing furry hats.

THe point is you don't know enough these people to know the difference between shit and sausages. Abd lets face it English working class and what they have produced in the last fifty years and has mesmerised the world - its not really worth considering.