Etymology of Milonga

Milonga, according to Jose Gobelo (founder of Academia del lunfardo,
considered to be an authority when it comes to Tango subjects), states
that it is a word of the African Language "Quimbunda", plural of
'Mulonga'. Mulonga in that language means, "word", Milonga means words,
the words of the Payadores. In 1872 when Jose Hernandez published his
most famous book "Martin Fierro" (describes in verse the life of a
gaucho); the word Milonga had already acquired the meaning of gathering
where one can dance. A decade later, 1883, Ventura Lynch wrote: "In the
periphery of the city the Milonga is so generalized that is danced in
all the gatherings, it can be heard played by guitars, accordions, comb
and paper, or played by street musicians with flute, harp and violin".
It is also danced in the low-class casinos around the markets of 11 de
Septiembre and Constitucion, other dances and funerals".
Today, Milonga has several meanings: a music, a dance, the place or
gathering where one dances and also the original meaning (many words, or
long story), such as in "no me vengas ahora con esa milonga", (do not
start now with all that jazz).