The machete () is a small stringed instrument from

Madeira Madeira ( ; ), officially the Autonomous Region of Madeira (), is an autonomous Regions of Portugal, autonomous region of Portugal. It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the region of Macaronesia, just under north of ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

. It has a double bulged body, traditionally made of wood, with a small rib and has four metallic strings, which depending on the region, may be attached by wooden pegs. Its slightly larger cousin, the machete de rajão, has five metal strings. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for the instrument to be made out of linden or poplar. Historians believe the machete was introduced in Madeira from

Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...

as a braguinha and subsequently brought to

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

by Portuguese immigrants in the late 19th century as a possible predecessor of the

ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...

References

Portuguese musical instruments Guitar family instruments Lute family instruments Necked box lutes {{lute-stub

See also

References