11 Facts About Dan Maraya

Dan Maraya was remembered as a man who did not limit his praise singing to the rich and famous, but sang praises for common people as well.

Dan Maraya was a Member of the Order of the Niger, an Officer of the Order of the Niger and a recipient of the Nigerian Federal Republic Medal, 1st class.

Dan Maraya Jos, whose name means "The Orphan of Jos", was born in 1946 in Bukuru, near Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria.

Dan Maraya's father had been a court musician for the Sarkin Hausawa of Bukuru.

Dan Maraya showed an early interest in music and came under the influence of local professional musicians.

Dan Maraya was a vocalist, singing while accompanying himself on a small Nigerian lute called a kontigi.

Dan Maraya was skilled with the Kotsu drum and Kalungu drum, the garaya 2-stringed lute or guitar, the molo 3-stringed lute or guitar, and the goge Nigerian violin, having learned them in training for his profession as a griot.

The kuntigi is a small, single-stringed lute which Dan Maraya plucked, and drummed the skin soundboard with his fingers.

Dan Maraya chose the griot profession when he was seven-years old, having been told that his decreased father was a royal drummer.

Dan Maraya was a performer at Festac 77 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Dan Maraya was of such prominence that he was performing in national events for Nigeria; his last concert before he fell sick was at the Peoples Democratic Party fund-raising dinner.