I grew up hating polkas... probably because they often played them at 5 in the morning, along with the morning Hog Reports. It wasn't until much later in life that I realized what agreat wealth of music there is around the world that are polkas. I particularly was mesmerized by a program of Mexican polkas I heard on the radio driving in my car many years ago. There are certainly plennnnnty of polkas that are as much folk music as fiddle tunes. Because they go back so far in time and tradition, they are certainly more "folk" music than bluegrass.

Whether people "like" them or not has nothing to do with whether or not they are folk music.

Jerry