The term buisine (Old French; also, busine, buysine, buzine) descends from Buccina, a Roman military horn.

[1] When Europeans went to the crusades, the instrument was seen as a proper military target (in the same way a flag or pendant was), something to capture and bring home.

The term añafil descends from al-Nafir, the Persian-Arab Islamic trumpet which was used by Moorish armies in Spain, before the Crusades.

[2] By the Reconquista (722–1492) when residents of the future Spain retook the Iberian Peninsula, añafil was part of the nation's language.

The image that is among Europe's earliest representation of the instrument came from this tradition, in the 13th century Spanish work, the Cantigas de Santa Maria.

[6] and maintained for centuries the name Moorish nafil, since the Andalusian Arabs used it to execute the sharp parts of the fanfares and military touches.

[8] It was introduced in two forms; one with a conical, curved tube called the Cornu, and one with a straight, cylindrical shape.

At present it is a unique and characteristic instrument of the processions of the Semana Santa de Cabra (Córdoba), where it is called abejorro (bumblebee).

[10] Unlike modern day trumpets, the buisine does not have piston or rotary valves to change pitches chromatically.

[citation needed] The buisine, unlike coiled trumpets, sends vibration through the tube uninterrupted.