The Ukulele History
In 1879, a Braguinha also called Machete, arrived in Hawaii on a Portuguese ship loaded with laborers destined for the sugar cane fields. Hawaiians made the instrument their own and loosely translated, called it "`ukulele". Which translates to "jumping flea," It's believed to have originated because of the way a performer's fingers jump around on the strings?
Three immigrants in particular, cabinetmakers from the island of Madeira, off the coast of Portagul, Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias, are generally credited as the first ukulele makers.
Here is a link to a great article, with a lot more information on the History of the `Ukulele by Dagan B.
The Ravenscrag?
from WikipediA • Best known of several similarly named ships, the Ravenscrag (spelled without the "i") is a British sailing vessel commanded by Capt. Biggam that on 23 August 1879 brought 419 Portuguese immigrants from the Madeira Islands to the Hawaiian Islands to work as contract laborers in the sugarcane plantations. The ship left the Madeiran port of Funchal on 23 April 1879 and took exactly four months to cross the Atlantic Ocean, round Cape Horn, and then sail across the Pacific to Honolulu, Hawaii. Among the passengers were Manuel Nunes, Augusto Dias, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Joao Fernandes, who are credited with introducing the ukulele to Hawaii. This was the second ship of Portuguese immigrants to reach the Islands, having been preceded on 30 September 1878 by the German bark SS Priscilla.
So we can count our blessings that the Hawai'ian's weren't introduced to the Accordion or Tuba, the traditional, popular German instruments at the time. Or the Bladder Fiddle, Dudelsack, Hackbrett, Nyckelharpa. (Curt — Dodged a musical bullet with that one.)
Books
A great collection of books on the Ukulele: The History, Instruments, and Adventures.
UKEtopia! Adventures in the Ukulele World
When Billboard Associate Publisher, Jim Beloff purchased his first ukulele at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in 1992, there were no ukulele songbook collections on the market--none--just a few vintage instructional books. As an already-accomplished guitarist, this frustrated Jim, who had fallen in love instantly with this little instrument. Sensing that there might be an opportunity to fill this void, he and his graphic-artist wife, Liz, created Flea Market Music, Inc., which, for thirty years, has published more than three dozen song and instructional books, totaling over one million copies in print. They have also grown the ukulele market through their influential fleamarketmusic.com website, the creation of the popular UKEtopia concert series, marketing and promoting their family's line of ukuleles, consulting on two major museum shows, and a continuous performing schedule.
The ‘Ukulele: A History
Since its introduction to Hawai‘i in 1879, the ‘ukulele has been many things: a symbol of an island paradise; a tool of political protest; an instrument central to a rich musical culture; a musical joke; a highly sought-after collectible; a cheap airport souvenir; a lucrative industry; and the product of a remarkable synthesis of western and Pacific cultures. The ‘Ukulele: A History explores all of these facets, placing the instrument for the first time in a broad historical, cultural, and musical context.
The Ukulele: A Visual History
From its birthplace in Portugal to its famous Hawaiian home, the “jumping flea” has left its mark on popular music and pop culture worldwide. This book traces the uke's evolution with colorful whimsy. Readers will meet some of the world's greatest ukulele players through profiles, photos, and a list of recordings. Splendid color photos show more than 100 of the finest and most unique ukes and vintage catalog illustrations, fanciful sheet music covers, and witty ads that capture the craze of the 1920s and '30s.
The Martin Ukulele: The Little Instrument That Helped Create a Guitar Giant
The Martin Ukulele is a detailed look at the ukuleles built by the C. F. Martin Co. of Nazareth, PA, and at how the instruments' success forever changed the company that made them. Martin's ukulele-making led the small, respected builder of fine guitars and mandolins into an era of unprecedented growth in the 1920s and helped it become one of the most legendary manufacturers of high-quality guitars in the world. Drawing heavily from the extensive archives at the Martin factory, the book examines the company and its development, from production records, sales ledgers, and a vast collection of correspondence to hundreds of photos, including many of the rarest ukuleles the company produced.
A Stowaway Ukulele Revealed: Richard Konter & The Byrd Polar Expeditions
A Stowaway Ukulele Revealed: Richard Konter & the Byrd Polar Expeditions is the unlikely and compelling story of a globe-trotting, ukulele-strumming Brooklyn sailor named Richard Konter and his famous autographed instrument. At the height of the ukulele craze, Konter was a go-to arranger for Tin Pan Alley composers and publishers.
A keen contributor to history in the making, Konter managed to obtain the autographs of more than 150 individuals, both famous and unknown, all of whom respected the importance of Konter's North Pole ukulele. Later, Konter accompanied Byrd to Antarctica and later married, for the first time at age 80, the love of his life.
The Ukulele Timeline
Today
Virtuoso musicians such as Jake Shimabukuro and James Hill are altering traditional perceptions of ukulele music. As well as singer / songwriters such as Victoria Vox< touring the world and spreading the Aloha!.
Checkout UKEtopia!-Adventures in the Ukulele World
Jim Beloff. Jim's new memoir of his journey and his part of this Third Wave
of ukulele popularity.
The current Third Wave
of the ukulele corresponding to the influence of YouTube and the Internet®.
Check out all the famous people and musicians associated with the ukulele on the Ukulele Musicians Page .
1950s
Weekly TV host Arthur Godfrey keeps ukuleles in the spotlight.
A shift from the popularity of radio to most households having access to a TV and the second wave of the ukulele craze.
Arthur Godfrey is responsible for selling 9,000,000 Mario Maccaferri plastic ukuleles during the 50s.
1940s
Ukulele craze revived by the solders and sailors returning home from South Pacific after World War II.
This is the start of the Second Wave
of the ukulele corresponding to the influence of TV.
1920s
After the Panama Pacific International Exposition Ukuleles all the rage. This corresponds to the popularity and availability of radio in the decade of the 20s to 40s. The First truly fast way of disseminating news, entertainment, and information to a mass audience. This was a big shift in the technology for communication around the world.
This is the First Wave
of the ukulele corresponding to the influence of Radio.
1915
Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California USA unveils ukulele to the world. The Panama–Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) was a world's fair held in San Francisco, in the United States, between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery from the 1906 earthquake.
1879
This Is When It All Started
Portuguese sailors introduce Hawaiians to small four-stringed instrument that gave rise to the ukulele. King David Kalakaua was influential in the initial rise of popularity of the ukulele.
Among the passengers of the Ravenscrag that arrived in Hawaiian, 23 August 1879, were Manuel Nunes, Augusto Dias, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Joao Fernandes, who are credited with introducing the ukulele to Hawaii. This was the second ship of Portuguese immigrants to reach the Islands, having been preceded on 30 September 1878 by the German bark SS Priscilla.
So we can count our blessings that the Hawai'ian's weren't introduced to the Accordion or Tuba, the traditional, popular German instruments at the time. Or the Bladder Fiddle, Dudelsack, Hackbrett, Nyckelharpa. (Curt — Dodged a musical bullet with that one.)
Mederia
The Island of Madeira, Portugal
Before 1879 it really started on the WikipediA : Island of Madeira, Portugal with the Bargina and WikipediA : Machete . Historians believe the machete was introduced in Madeira from Braga as a braguinha and subsequently brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the late 19th century as a possible predecessor of the ukulele.
Emigrants from Madeira also influenced the creation of new musical instruments. In the 1880s, the ukulele was created, based on two small guitar-like instruments of Madeiran origin, the cavaquinho and the rajao. The ukulele was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and Cape Verde. Three immigrants in particular, Madeiran cabinet makers Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias, are generally credited as the first ukulele makers. Two weeks after they disembarked from the SS Ravenscrag in late August 1879, the Hawaiian Gazette reported that Madeira Islanders recently arrived here, have been delighting the people with nightly street concerts.
Each ukulele craze corresponded to a new media for disseminating information fast and to a wide audience.
Radio Television Internet® ?
What's next?
During his reign, hula was revived, after having been banned in 1830 by Queen Ka'ahumanu, who had converted to Christianity. He is also known for having revived surfing and the Hawaiian martial art, Kapu Kuialua.
