Legend attributes it to the nickname of Englishman Edward William Purvis, one of King Kalākaua's officers, because of his small size, fidgety manner, and playing expertise. In the Hawaiian language the word ukulele roughly translates as 'jumping flea', perhaps because of the movement of the player's fingers. A patron of the arts, he incorporated it into performances at royal gatherings. One of the most important factors in establishing the ukulele in Hawaiian music and culture was the ardent support and promotion of the instrument by King Kalākaua. 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.' Three immigrants in particular, Madeiran cabinet makers Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias, are generally credited as the first ukulele makers. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone.ĭeveloped in the 1880s, the ukulele is based on several small, guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin, the machete, cavaquinho, timple, and rajão, introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde.

The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and construction.

The ukulele ( / ˌ juː k ə ˈ l eɪ l i/ YOO-kə- LAY-lee from Hawaiian: ʻukulele, approximately OO-koo- LEH-leh), also called a uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii.

Royalty free ukulele music sheet music