the tv show design star, had a pair of LP blue congas, and other instruments, they were to get inspiration by the intrument they choose, so the one who picked the congas, made a blue and white pillow, and kept saying CONGOS through out the show and so did everyone else. it was driving me crazy..seems like Congas get called everything but Congas..like i said before here in Arkansas they call them BONGOS THE TALL ONES..
There's a guy in Asheville who keeps calling my congas bongos, and it wouldn't matter to me if it was an honest mistake, but if I correct him, he's like "yeah whatever" and rolls his eyes. So now I call his guitar a ukelele, mandolin, viola, or whatever else I can think of that has strings. Anything but guitar. I got the bands singer to do it too. She introduced him last week as Steve on ukelele. I think he's starting to get the point.
I correct people often around here regarding the "bongos" vs "congas" reference.... I tell them I only correct those whom I care about, because I don't want them to appear "stupid"... that tends to make them scratch something in wonder, as I leave them to ponder it!
I also tell one of the guitarists I play with that I'm going to wear his guitars as shoes, if he doesn't stop using my drums as tables.
I have experienced the same you all have, over 30 years as a player and i reached the conclusion long time ago that people in the states compared to many other countries on the planet , lack education and the drive to learn about other cultures , it just their belligerent attitude, as you can see it shows. And do not ask them about the geography of their own country.