Look Morwhen - hers a brutal and uncomfortable truth for you. so uncomfortable a lot of people either never have the intelligence to stumble over it, or reject it cos it asks too much.

Folksinging, folkmusic is within you. You find it by doing it. Borrow and steal from wherever you can, it doesn't matter. You will still be you and your music emerges whether you borrow from guys living in igloos or aborigines chasing kangaroos.

I've never really travelled, but i always loved the way flamenco players played guitar scales to a rhythm. An English guitarist called Paul Downes just watching him practise one day - I picked up he idea that you can incorporate that swing that flamenco players get by using as many open strings as you can, and changing your strings quite often.

i don't think I ever played a Spanish song in my life - but i nicked something from their culture to write my own songs.

Thats how folkmusic works. You use what sounds good and useful to you. not what some classical rule book says.

i can't see much point in you learning about cocoa in Trinidad. Its okay for a primary school project, but its sod all to do with the creation of vibrant music.

take what you like from the Trindadians and then write a song telling a story about the girl you love, or something the boss did that pisses you off.