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Ukulele: the story of one gift
Is it possible to be in Hawaii without a flight? With the help of a miniature melodic Ukulele instrument, world-famous as the Ukulele, this is easier to do. Your soul will be there!
It doesn't matter if you've been to Hawaii or not, her magical sounds will conquer your heart from the first chords and instantly transport you to sunny and serene islands. And a rather pleasant strumming will turn a frown into a good-natured smile.
According to the last queen of Hawaii, Liliuokalani, the ukulele stands for "the gift that came here." This word consists of two words of Hawaiian origin: uku (gift) and lele (come). And according to some reports, the word "ukulele" translates as "flea jumping", because the movements of the fingers during the game are so fast that they very much resemble jumping fleas.
The ukulele was invented in the 70s of the XIX century, and, despite its status, it is of Portuguese origin. This small guitar is a continuation of the Portuguese stringed instrument cavaquinho, which came to Hawaii with immigrant carpenters from the island of Madeira. The beauty of the nature of the new land inspired these people to make ukuleles. They sold the baby for only 75 cents. Due to its size, cheap price and pleasant sound, the ukulele has taken root and gained popularity in traditional Hawaiian music. The ruler of the islands, David Kalakaua, became so fond of the instrument that he even included it in the instruments for festive royal performances.
In 1915, the Ukulele first appeared in San Francisco at the Pacific Exposition. It can be considered that this is where the love of the ukulele originated in America, and then all over the world.
Marilyn Monroe in "Only Girls in Jazz" and Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" played the ukulele. Modern musicians are still not indifferent to the ukulele and even record full-fledged albums with its participation. For example, Zooey Deschanel plays it on the album of her band He&She. And George Harrison from the Beatles has participated in the Ukulele Society of Great Britain more than once. And according to rumors, he got so into life in Hawaii that he bought ukuleles in huge quantities and distributed them on the streets to all passers-by. Also, on the boundless expanses of the Internet, you can easily find many cover versions of various works with the active participation of this instrument, where any popular song turns into a touching indie.
The most famous musician who played the ukulele was Israel Kamakawiwole (Ka'ano'i Kamakawiwo'ole), a big Hawaiian in every sense, who was affectionately called "gentle giant" in his homeland. With a height of 190 cm, he weighed 343 kg. And this did not prevent him from becoming a ukulele god, a folk hero and a universal favorite.
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