"folk music is more often associated with other activities, such as calendric or life-cycle rituals, work, games, enculturation, and folk religion" (EB from Pip, above)..DOES fit with..."FOLK MUSIC: Music deriving from, and expressive of, a particular national, ethnic or regional culture." (Philip's Essential Encyclopedia from me, above).

"WaV - A couple of serious questions:

On what grounds are you actually questioning immigration?
Do you consider 'English culture' to be superior to any other?" (Smokey)...I've answered these several times but can't blame anyone for not reading everything on such never-dead threads:
I don't think economic/capitalist immigration/emigration (which makes up the majority of mass immigration) is a good thing; and I do think trying to have a multiple number of cultures living under the one state law will always cause problems - the most extreme of which is a current court case regarding terrorism and doctors. And NO - I hate the imperialistic idea of white supremacy, and genuinely love the world being multicultural...it's those such as Ruth Archer/Joan Crumb who have tried to paint me this way as they hate immigration being questioned.
IB - "or whoring around Sandgate and the Bigg Market"...I've only been there for "Newcastle Poetry Society" nights and keep tyring, rather, for a permanent partner, who need not be a clog dancer! Speaking of which, I really do think you and yours should try and manage a trip to Aus. and get it all out of your system - and don't forget to take in some Aboriginal culture as well...

Poem 123 of 230: FONDLY AND VIVIDLY/AN OLYMPICS-SPARKED MEMORY SONG - AUT. 2000

From way up high in Sydney Tower,
You can see it all:
East there's coastline, west there's ranges -
Blue Mountains standing tall;
There's national parks and gardens,
Sailboards on Botany Bay;
And, out among the people,
You'll soon get that term "G'day."

Yes, I remember Sydney -
Fondly and vividly:
The eucalypts and wattles;
The sun, the sand, the sea.
Yeah, I still picture Sydney -
Fondly and vividly.

And, way up high in Sydney Tower,
You can see it all:
Southern Beaches, Northern Beaches,
A skyline standing tall;
There's the Opera House and Harbour Bridge -
Ferries sail from bay to bay;
And, around Darling Harbour,
You can party the night away.
Yes...

And, way up high in Sydney Tower,
You can see it all:
Olympic grounds toward the west,
The Rocks, too, is worth a call;
Plus Aboriginal culture -
The foremost of a lot to say.
So, if you visit Sydney,
I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay.

Yes...

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

And speaking of Aus., I see Ralphie/Nellie/Chief Laissez Fairy has made yet another comeback to call me a "dullard".

"The only European 'national instrument' I can think of that is actually played by a significant proportion of the population of the country concerned is the Finnish Kantele." (Malcolm)...which I think is a positive thing other nations can learn from.

Neither steam nor smoke, Woody - I just enjoyed a bowl of boiled oatmeal.

Yes, Stu, MD does seem knowledgable to me, too, for what it's worth.

IB - I intend to have A quiet glass of the good stuff at tonight's singaround.