The ‘ukulele was already Hawai‘i’s favorite instrument by the time Samuel Kamaka, Sr., its most renowned creator, began producing it for sale in 1916. Nearly three decades earlier, immigrants from the archipelago of Madeira, off the coast of Portugal, disembarked in Honolulu after a four-month journey via clipper ship. Several of them, including Augusto Dias, João Fernandes, Manuel Nunes, and Jose do Espirito Santo, played hooky from their duties in the sugar fields and began entertaining in the evenings. Before long, the whole town was learning the chords to the diminutive four-stringed lutes that the musicians had brought with them. Thousands of miles away from where these instruments first developed, Fernandes began crafting his own instruments for sale using Hawaiian acacia koa, a dense tropical hardwood with a lustrous beauty and unique tonal quality.

By the late 19th century, ‘ukulele were ubiquitous among commoners and royalty, the go-to instrument for everything from beach parties to grand jubilees. In fact, when Queen Lili‘uokalani composed her ode to departed love, “Aloha ‘Oe,” she did so to the tuning of an ‘ukulele. She said the word for the instrument meant “the gift that came here,” originating from the Hawaiian word uku meaning “gift” and lele meaning “to come,” though the name is usually translated as “jumping flea.” During the jazz age that swept across America, the ‘ukulele’s versatility became apparent. The compositions of French and Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt and the standards of the day were translated for local consumption, always with ‘ukulele.

From that era to the present, a similar insignia has appeared on the headstock of the instrument’s most famous players. The double K logo of a Kamaka ‘ukulele can be seen in the deft hands of Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole as he plays his version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” or on virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro’s ‘ukulele during his centerstage performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The company’s instruments are coveted, both as family heirlooms and as ties to Hawaiian culture. They also retain their value. Case in point: A slightly used Kamaka ‘ukulele played by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder recently sold for more than $17,000 at a charity auction.

Since the instrument’s creation, there have been dozens of ‘ukulele manufacturers who have made excellent versions, but none have prevailed as strongly as the company Samuel Kamaka, Sr. started a century ago in his one-man shop in Kaimukī. In the 1930s, Kamaka invented and trademarked the Pineapple, an ‘ukulele shaped and painted like the pervasive local fruit, which remains a favorite of many players to this day. As an emblem of modern Hawai‘i, the company—run today by Samuel Sr.’s two sons, Fred and Sam Jr., and three of their sons—has continued to innovate, embracing technological advances in instrument making, including the use of Computer Numerical Control routers and a global distribution chain to deliver its product.

For Kamaka’s centennial this year, the family has rolled out a series of releases to celebrate: a second documentary on public broadcasting television, an aloha shirt design in collaboration with Reyn Spooner, an album by contemporary Kamaka ‘ukulele players, a coffee table book, and a concert. A hundred specialty Kamaka instruments will also be produced. While the ‘ukulele has waxed and waned in popularity over the last century—it is again in full swing with the international success of Kamaka players Paula Fuga, Taimane Gardner, Raiatea Helm, and Aidan James—the instrument has certainly lived up to the designation Queen Lili‘uokalani gave it over a century ago. As the unofficial sound of the islands, the ‘ukulele is a gift that has since been shared with the world.