I'm not sure if these are folk songs, but the following YouTube videos of Eritrean songs and dance show the wide range of singing and dancing that are performed in different regions of the huge continent of Africa.

A lot of Eritrean {and Ethiopian} songs have a higher voice range that sounds very Middle Eastern {Arabic} to me.

If you can get these YouTube videos, see what you think.

Eritrea - Awlo (Eritrean Song praising Eritrean People)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4daTQxNUNM&mode=related&search=
Added October 07, 2006;From spaceketema

"Traditional Eritrean Song praising Eritrean People and Eritrean customs. Check out the beautiful Eritrean women!!!"

-snip-

I don't know the name of the lyre {like} musical instrument one of the musicians is playing. Does anyone know?

**

Eritrea - Wedi Tukul - Awalid Adey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJP2bFfZu1A

Added January 07, 2007; From spaceketema
"Wedi Tukul sings Awalid Adey in Tigringa"

-snip-

A musician in this video also plays the same type of lyre.
Unfortunately, the video quality in this clip isn't that good. That's unfortunate, as the dances that the women are doing are fascinating. The dances remind me of my reading about the circular dances around a pole that Vodun, Candomble, Lucumi, Macumba and other related religions
do. The dance these women do also reminds me of my reading about the religous ring shout {also known as the 'holy dance'} that enslaved African Americans did.

The women in both of these Eritrean videos are wearing white dresses. I'm wondering if these videos document a particular Eritrean religous congregation...

???