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bongo drums
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bongo drums
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Also called:
bongos
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bongo drums
bongo drums

bongo drums

musical instrument
Also known as: bongos
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

bongo drums, pair of small single-headed Afro-Cuban drums. The two heads, which are respectively about 5 inches (13 cm) and about 7 inches (18 cm) across, are nailed or rod-tensioned to wooden, open-ended “shells” of the same height. Played with the hands and fingers, the drums are yoked together to help the performer execute lively rhythmic dialogues. Bongo drums were created about 1900 in Cuba for Latin American dance bands. Other Cuban folk drums are also called bongos.