The ukulele (uke) is a small fretted instrument that, we’ll admit it, kinda looks like a small guitar. Modern ukes were developed from the Portuguese machada (or machete), which was brought over to Hawaii in the 1800s by settlers. Introduced to North America through the Panama-Pacific Expo in 1915, the uke became a popular addition to jazz bands in the 1920s, and has fans all over the world, particularly in Japan.
Hello, and welcome to the column where we explore our favourite ‘geek loves’. Whether you’re reading to find a few ideas for that ‘five geek loves’ list as you search for a pen pal, to pick up a new hobby, or you want to know “what is that?” we’re sure to have something for you. This week we're talking about washi tape!