What is the history of the marimba?

Hundreds of years ago in Africa, people played hollow logs over holes in the ground, which is the origin of the marimba.

It was brought by African slaves to South America in the early 16th century.

The modern marimba style/shape originated in Latin America. The first chromatic marimba was made by Jose Chaequin and Manuel Lopez and was introduced to the public in Guatemala in 1874.

The Marimba was first introduced to North America in 1908 by the Hurtado family marimba band.

They started making marimbas in the US around 1910.