The origin of the word 'Guagua'

The origin of the word guagua: does it come from Cuba?
Have you ever wondered why in many countries the bus is called guagua? This word has an interesting history that mixes languages, migrations, and cultural influences.

In the 19th century, the expression 'ir de guagua' was already used, meaning to travel for free. It was the Cuban Esteban Pichardo who documented this form for the first time in 1836. According to the Spanish philologist Corominas, although there is no clear document of the use of 'guagua' as a bus, it is believed to come from the English word 'waggon', which referred to military or public transport vehicles in the USA.

After the Cuban War of Independence in 1898, the United States had a significant influence on the island. It is likely that the term 'guagua' began to be used to refer to these public vehicles there. But how did it get to the Canaries?

In the Canary Islands, the term is not recorded as a noun until the mid-20th century. In Tenerife, for example, the word 'jardinera' was used to describe those collective vehicles. However, from Las Palmas, the use of 'guagua' gradually spread.

Researchers Luis and Agustín Millares included the word in their studies in 1924 and 1932, noting that its origin was American. Therefore, today it is thought that the origin of the word guagua comes from Cuba, possibly brought by emigrants who returned to the Islands.