I've been told that the banjo is an African instrument. How did it make it from Africa to the U.S., Ireland, etc.? And how was it traditionally played?

hi! more input is always welcome, but do check out this post from a few months ago

How did the banjo, an instrument of African descent, become a staple of Anglo folk music?

also, you may want to keep an eye out for a music documentary film that did the festival circuit a few years ago, Throw Down Your Heart (2008) (IMDB, distributor site, trailer), in which American banjo player Béla Fleck travels across Africa to meet & play with musicians there. The trailer includes a few short clips.