[2] The origins of Tambú can be traced back to the early 17th century, where a large number of African slaves arrived in Curaçao from Angola.

[8] During these years, the Afro-community continued to express Angolan culture through the performance of war dances, in particular, stick fighting known as kokomakaku[3][4].

[9][10][4] The drummer was accompanied by a lead vocalist, who sang tributes about the contestants before they began fighting, in which the audience could gain an understanding about the fighters past history and special talents.

[3] The use of sticks as weapons, were instead replaced with words, spoken by the lead vocalist, who were used by people to attack another person's defects and vice versa.

[3] In the years preceding emancipation, the Catholic Church and their methods of indoctrination were used to further attempt to end Tambú rituals.

[8] Priests used weekly pulpits to convince the community that Tambú was evil, and participation in the genre would have everlasting implications on their journey to heaven.

[8] In contemporary Curaçao society, Tambú continues to be performed in an effort to preserve its historical significance.

Special cultural events are organised during the Tambú Season to promote and represent African and Afro-Curaçao history.

[8] Tambú recordings are also played on media platforms such as the radio, and in local party scenes, becoming increasingly popular to the younger generations of contemporary Curaçao society.

[11] The original instrument in Tambú's early years was made out of a hollow tree trunk, its opening covered with animal skin.

[11] The main type of bari was made from the wood of old vegetable boxes, melded into a cylinder, with sheep skin stretched over the top.

This is an announcement of sought, where the pregon (lead singer), declares that a Tambú performance is about to begin and gathers the audience around.

[3] It is here where the tonal centre of the song is established, and a feeling of the basic melodic and rhythmic elements can be listened to by the audience and the musicians in preparation for the performance.

[3] Tambú has maintained the basic binary structure of the performance that follows since its origins and consists of two sections: the habri (“open”) and será (“closed”).

[11] Rhythmically, the combination of the heru, bari, and body percussion of the audience, produces quick and complex patterns.

[11] Often the heru and bari, provide a triplet pulse, transcribed as a 12/8 time signature, while the pregon sings to a 4/4 count.