OO-koo-LEH-leh
🌴The sound of Hawaii...🎶
The ukulele is a four-stringed musical instrument made from wood that
resembles a small classical guitar.
English speakers pronounce it
as "you-ka-ley-ley" but, in fact, the spelling of the word is an
anglicized version of the original Hawaiian pronunciation
"ju-ke-lei-li."
It produces a characteristic sound that
immediately takes us to tropical environments. The ukulele was born in
Hawaii but has its roots in Western Europe.
... with Portuguese roots!
The father and mother of the ukulele are two musical instruments from
Portugal - the cavaquinho and the machete, also known as braguinha. They
were developed in Braga, a city located in the north of the country.
The history of the ukulele dates back to the late 19th-century. In 1879,
Portuguese immigrants from Madeira decided to leave their home island in
search of a better life, and well-paid jobs. Around 25,000 people found
work in the Hawaiian archipelago, also known as Sandwich Islands.
In their luggage, they carried the machete, which immediately conquered
the hearts and ears of the local population.
Tune your ukulele
