The English word folk means the same as the German Volk. The term folk, as used by the way of life - the philosophy - of Folk Culture, means a group of people who share not only the same racial ancestry but also a common outlook on life: that is, they belong to a particular culture.
 

Folk Culture uses the term folk in preference to race because folk means and implies more than just people of the same race: it means and implies a group of people - a folk community - who share the same values, the same way of life, the same religious outlook; that is, they have the same culture.

Culture is a combination of : (1) the unique customs, laws, outlook, traditions and achievements of a particular  community, group, people or society; and (2) having a certain civilized way of life - the way of manners, reason, fairness, honour, and excellence. Culture is essentially an expression of our humanity - of what makes us human, and different from animals. A cultured person is thus a person who is civilized, and who possesses a sense of identity - who belongs to a particular culture and who lives the way of life of that culture.