18/05/2024
🎶 The ukulele is a symbol of Hawaiian culture and has charmed audiences worldwide. The ukelele’s earliest print appearance was in 1886, where it was called a taro patch fiddler.
Originating from the machete, a Portuguese folk instrument, the ukulele's journey began with Madeiran immigrants in the 1870s. The Madeiran luthiers (craftspeople who create string instruments) used Hawaiian hardwoods— koa—the same material used for fine furniture, tying the instrument directly to the landscape. Skilled luthiers, like Augusto Dias (1842–1915), Manuel Nunes (1843–1922), and Jose do Espirito Santo (1850–1905), crafted the first ukuleles in Honolulu, and by the 1915 San Francisco World’s Fair, it had captured global attention. The ukulele remains a powerful symbol of aloha, celebrated in the soulful music of artists like Taimane Gardner, Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, and Paula Fuga.
‘Ukulele made by the C. F. Martin Company of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, ca. 1900–25.
