What is the history of bongo drums?

What is the history of bongo drums?

The history of bongo drumming can be traced to the Cuban music styles known as Changui and Son. These styles first developed in eastern Cuba (Orient province) in the late 19th century. It is believed that Bongos evolved from the Abakua Drum trio ‘Bonko’ and its lead drum ‘Bonko Enmiwewos’.

What is unique about bongos?

Bongo drums have an open bottom – similar to the Bantu or Congo drums from central Africa – which is the reason why bongos are believed to have been influenced by African drum design. The size of bongo drum heads can vary but are usually between 6 and 7 inches to between 7 and 8.5 inches.

How old are bongo drums?

Bongo drums were created about 1900 in Cuba for Latin American dance bands. Other Cuban folk drums are also called bongos.

How were bongos invented?

Most sources on Afro-Cuban cultural history argue that the bongo derives from Bantu drum models from Central Africa, noticeable in the open bottoms. The strong historical presence of Africans from the Congo/Angola region in Eastern Cuba (where the bongo first appeared) makes such an influence possible.

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Are bongos endangered?

Near Threatened (Population decreasing)
Bongo/Conservation status

What makes a good bongo drum?

The Best Bongo Drums at a Glance

• 7-1/4″ and 8-5/8″
• Natural Rawhide Heads.
• Gold Tone Hardware.

Who invented bongo?

The origin of the bongo is largely unclear. Its use was first documented in the Eastern region of Cuba, the Oriente Province, during the late 19th century, where it was employed in popular music styles such as nengón, changüí, and their descendant, the son cubano.

Who invented bongo drums?

the Oriente Province
The origin of the bongo is largely unclear. Its use was first documented in the Eastern region of Cuba, the Oriente Province, during the late 19th century, where it was employed in popular music styles such as nengón, changüí, and their descendant, the son cubano.

Where did the origin of bongo drums come from?

When slavery ended in Cuba in the 19 th Century, African and Latin drumming merged and as a result many hybrid instruments were formed, the bongo drums being one. The drums follow a traditional African design and the playing technique came from the Latin influence of using your hands.

Who are the Bongo drummers in son cubano?

They are mainly employed in the rhythm section of son cubano and salsa ensembles, often alongside other drums such as the larger congas and the mallet-struck timbales . Bongo drummers ( bongoseros) emerged as the only drummers of son cubano ensembles in eastern Cuba toward the end of the 19th century.

How do you change the pitch of a bongo drum?

The bongosero traditionally could change the pitch of their drum by heating it to remove moisture making the skin tighter, or by moistening the skin with water to make it looser. Bongo Drums are played with your hands. Traditionally you would use only your hands to play the bongo drums.

What are the hand strokes of a bongo drum?

There are 4 basic hand strokes used when playing the bongo drums and they are called mute tone, open tone, slap tone and heel-toe. Although there are many standard rhythms that have been created for playing bongo drums as percussion instruments, they are traditionally also used for solos.