| Bongo Drums or Bongos are percussion | | | | metal or some other composite material. The two |
| instruments that are comprised of two drums | | | | drums are attached to one another by a thick |
| attached to each other. One of the drums is | | | | piece of wood. The drums head can be made of |
| bigger than the other and is called a hembra, | | | | animal skin or other synthetic material. For the |
| which translates from Spanish into English as | | | | head of the "Macho" (the smaller drum); X-Ray |
| "Female". The smaller drum is called a Macho, | | | | films are sometime used. |
| translated form Spanish as: "Male". A bongo player | | | | Bongo like drums can be found in Morocco. These |
| is called a Bongocero. | | | | drums have ceramic bodies and goatskin raw hide |
| The Bongos arrived in South America as a result | | | | for the head. Similar drums are also found in |
| of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Originally, Bongos | | | | Middle Eastern countries and Egypt. Bongos are |
| were tacked and tuned with the use of a heat | | | | sometimes used as an accompaniment to the |
| source, but by the late 1940s metal tuning lugs | | | | flamenco and other Spanish music. Ceramic |
| were installed to facilitate easy tuning. By the | | | | Bongos are more common in Asia and the Middle |
| Middle of the 21st Century, Bongos gained | | | | east rather that in Africa. Wooden bongos came |
| association with Beatniks, who used them to | | | | to the Americas and into Cuba because of the |
| provide accents when they read poetry. In | | | | slave trade. |
| History, the first recordings of the Bongos were | | | | Bongo drums produce a high pitched sound and |
| heard performed by groups like the: Sexteto | | | | are played by placing and holding up the drum in |
| Habanero, Sexteto Boloña and Septeto | | | | between the knees of the player with the |
| Nacional. | | | | hembra (larger drum) on the right side. Striking |
| The Bongos were most probably derived from | | | | the head with the fingers and the palms are a |
| the Abakua Drum Trio: The Bonko. These drums | | | | traditional way of playing the Bongos, although |
| played a big part in the Abakua religion and are still | | | | some modern players use other instruments like |
| used until today. If you join these drums with a | | | | sticks and brushes. A muted sound is achieved |
| thick wooden stick, they would end up looking like | | | | form the Bongo by placing one hand on top of |
| the Bongos, as we know them today. | | | | the head while the other is striking it. Bongos can |
| Bongos can be made of several types of | | | | also be placed in stands when they are played |
| materials. They are most often made of wood, | | | | with an orchestra and a band. |