Despite its synonymous affiliation with the Hawaiian islands, this small guitar-like instrument first arrived on the nation’s shores in 1879, courtesy of Portuguese immigrants. Originally known as a branguinha, the Hawaiian’s later named it the ukulele, meaning “jumping flea”, for the way the hand darts across the four strings while playing. Although modern ukuleles can vary in size and tone, the four most common are the soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. It is a great starting instrument due to its practical size and affordability.