Plural of bongo; a pair of small hand drums, typically of different sizes, played with the hands and originating from Cuban music traditions.
From bongo, from Spanish bongó, derived from Kikongo (Bantu language of Congo) or similar African languages, reflecting the instrument's African and Cuban origins. The word entered English in the early 20th century with the rise of Cuban music.
Bongos are one of the few instruments that came directly from Africa to Cuba via slavery, then traveled back to the world—their name is linguistic proof of the Middle Passage.
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