The braguinha, forerunner of the ukulele, was a small four-string instrument tuned in fifths. Named after the town of Braga in Portugal, the instrument arrived in Hawaii with the first group of Portuguese immigrants in 
The braguinha, forerunner of the ukulele, was a small four-string instrument tuned in fifths. Named after the town of Braga in Portugal, the instrument arrived in Hawaii with the first group of Portuguese immigrants in 1878. But its owner didn’t know how to play it. A second boat, which arrived in 1879, carried not only braguinhas, but also players and three makers; Augusto Dias, Jose do Esperito Santo, and Manuel Nunes. Within a short time, a more guitar-like body constructed of native Hawaiian Koa wood, and a guitar-related tuning, was developed, giving birth to the modern ukulele. King Kalakaua took up the uke, and in 1888 featured it for the first time with hula dancers.
In 1915, the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce sponsored a $100,0