▁experienced ▁in ▁the ▁flesh . ▁ ▁The ▁music ▁was ▁often ▁related ▁to ▁national ▁culture . ▁It ▁was ▁cult ur ally ▁particular ; ▁from ▁a ▁particular ▁region ▁or ▁culture . ▁In ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁an ▁imm igr ant ▁group , ▁folk ▁music ▁acqu ires ▁an ▁extra ▁dimension ▁for ▁social ▁coh es ion . ▁It ▁is ▁particularly ▁consp ic uous ▁in ▁imm igr ant ▁soci eties , ▁where ▁Greek ▁Austral ians , ▁Som ali ▁Americans , ▁P un j abi ▁Canad ians , ▁and ▁others ▁st rive ▁to ▁emphas ize ▁their ▁differences ▁from ▁the ▁main stream . ▁They ▁learn ▁songs ▁and ▁d ances ▁that ▁origin ate ▁in ▁the ▁countries ▁their ▁grand par ents ▁came ▁from . ▁ ▁They ▁comm emor ate ▁historical ▁and ▁personal ▁events . ▁On ▁certain ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁including ▁such ▁hol id ays ▁as ▁Christmas , ▁E aster , ▁and ▁May ▁Day , ▁particular ▁songs ▁celebr ate ▁the ▁year ly ▁cycle . ▁B irth days , ▁wed d ings , ▁and ▁fun er als ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁noted ▁with ▁songs , ▁d ances ▁and ▁special ▁cost umes . ▁Relig ious ▁festiv als ▁often ▁have ▁a ▁folk ▁music ▁component . ▁Ch oral ▁music ▁at ▁these ▁events ▁brings ▁children ▁and ▁non - prof essional ▁sing ers ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁a ▁public ▁ar ena , ▁giving ▁an ▁emot ional ▁bond ing ▁that ▁is ▁un related ▁to ▁the ▁a est h etic ▁qual ities ▁of ▁the ▁music . ▁ ▁The ▁songs ▁have ▁been ▁performed , ▁by ▁custom , ▁over ▁a ▁long ▁period ▁of