Chapter one

Defination of Cultural poem

Poems about culture delve into the rich tapestry of human traditions, beliefs, customs, and heritage.
They explore the intricate interplay between individual identity and the collective experiences that
shape societies.

These poems also celebrate the diversity, beauty, and resilience of different cultures, offering insights
into the values, rituals, and narratives that define them.

Two famous examples of poems about culture include Langston Hughes¡® ¡®I, Too, Sing America,¡¯
which asserts the contribution and significance of African American culture in the broader American
context, and Maya Angelou¡¯s ¡®Still I Rise,¡¯ which embodies the indomitable spirit and cultural pride of
the African diaspora.

African culture

The Culture of Africa is varied and manifold, consisting of a mixture of countries with various tribes
depicting their unique characteristic and trait from the continent of Africa.[1] It is a product of the
diverse populations that inhabit the continent of Africa and the African diaspora. Generally, Culture can
be defined as a collective mass of distinctive qualities belonging to a certain group of people.[2] These
qualities include laws, morals, beliefs, knowledge, art, customs, and any other attributes belonging to a
member of that society.[3] Culture is the way of life of a group of people.

Tingatinga is one of the most widely represented forms of paintings in Tanzania, Kenya and
neighbouring countries

Africa has numerous ethnic nationalities all with varying qualities such as language, dishes, greetings,
dressing and dances. However, all African peoples share a series of dominant cultural traits which
distinguish African Culture from the rest of the world. For example, social values, religion, morals,
political values, economics, and aesthetic values all contribute to African Culture.[4] Expressions of
culture are abundant within Africa, with large amounts of cultural diversity[5] being found not only
across different countries but also within single countries. Even though African cultures are widely
diverse,[6] they are also, when closely studied, seen to have many similarities; for example, the morals
they uphold, their love and respect for their culture, as well as the strong respect they hold for the aged
and the important, i.e. kings and chiefs.[7]
 Africa has influenced and been influenced by other continents.[8] This can be portrayed in the
willingness to adapt to the ever-changing modern world rather than staying rooted in their static
culture. The Westernized few, persuaded by American culture and Christianity, first denied African
traditional culture, but with the increase of African nationalism, a cultural recovery occurred. The
governments of most African nations encourage national dance and music groups, museums, and to a
lower degree, artists and writers.[9]

90 to 95% of Africa's cultural heritage is held outside of Africa by large museums.[10] It is also important
to note in a quote from BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) on African culture, “a recent study by
Foresight Factory on defining factors of identity, 50-60% of British black African/Caribbean respondents,
agreed that ethnicity played a key role, the largest of any group. The singular viewpoint of ‘black’ as an
‘identifier’ or an ‘ethnicity’ not only denies cultural differences between the population, it also denies
the nuance within a vastly diverse community…. When we attempt to define African culture and
identity, we have to be mindful that we are viewing a broad ethnicity comprising different sub
communities that are resistant to having their heritage and culture boxed in simplistic labels.[11]”

African cultures, which originated on the continent of Africa,[12] have several distinct differences than
that of Black culture,[13] which originated by African Americans in the United States after they were
stripped of most of their own African cultures during enslavement. Some differences are that African
cultures retain tribal affairs to only be worn during specific events, hand carvings, tribal masks and
dances[14] whereas Black culture is ethnic to African Americans such as hip hop, jazz, hamboning and
soul food. Though some Africanisms were retained in Black culture of the United States, most of Black
American culture and history was created by Black Americans.[15] The same retained Africanisms and
also created cultural differences and can be noticed and noted in Caribbean cultures from the
descendants of the enslaved as well as in black South American cultures, such as culturally different
expressions, foods, styles and languages due to the centuries separation and enslavement away from
the African continent, being formed uniquely in places like Bahia, Brazil.[16]

definatio of Nigerian culture

"The culture of Nigeria is shaped by Nigeria's multiple ethnic groups.[1][2] The country has 527
languages,[3][4] seven of which are extinct.[5][6][7] Nigeria also has over 1150 dialects and ethnic
groups. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausas that are predominantly in the north, the Yorubas
who predominate in the southwest, and the Igbos in the southeast.[8][9][10][11] There are many other
ethnic groups with sizeable populations across the different parts of the country. The Kanuri people[12]
are located in the northeast part of Nigeria, the Tiv people[13] of north central and the Efik-Ibibio[14]
are in the south south. The Bini people[15][16] are most frequent in the region between Yorubaland and
Igboland.[17][18]

Nigeria's other ethnic groups, sometimes called 'minorities', are found throughout the country but
especially in the north and the middle belt. The traditionally nomadic Fulani can be found all over West
and Central Africa.[19] The Fulani and the Hausa are almost entirely Muslim, while the Igbo are almost
completely Christian and so are the Bini and the Ibibio. The Yoruba are predominantly Muslim with a
significant Christian presence and a much smaller portion of traditionalists. The Yoruba make up about
21% of the country's population – estimated to be over 225 million – and the Yoruba are predominantly
Muslim, with a notable Christian minority and a smaller presence of traditionalists.[20][21][22]
Indigenous religious practices remain important to all of Nigeria's ethnic groups however, and frequently
these beliefs are blended with Christian or Muslim beliefs, a practice known as syncretism.[23]

INTRODUCTION OF DANMARAYA

Dan Maraya Jos (born Adamu Wayya is one of the most influential griots, who have made their mark in
Hausa folk music. He played a unique instrument known as kontigi. Though, his pseudonym Dan Maraya
Jos is what many people will recollect, his real name was Adamu Wayyas which in Hausa language
means “The Little Orphan of Jos”. He was born in 1946 in Jos Plateau State,. According to accounts, his
father died shortly after his birth and his mother died while he was still an infant, hence the name by
which everyone knows him. Music is hereditary in his family as his father was a court musician for the
Emir of Bukur, who took Dan Maraya under his care when his parents died. Dan Maraya showed an early
promise in music and came under the influence of local professional griots who were best known as the
embodiment of the ancient wisdom of the people, and who were respected even by emirs and courtiers
on account of their deep knowledge of the tradition of the people. During a trip to Maiduguri while he
was still a pre-teen, he was impressed by musicians there and made a kuntigi a stringed instrument with
which he has accompanied himself ever since.

The kuntigi is a small, single-stringed lute. The body is usually a large, oval-shaped sardine can cover
with goatskin. Dan Maraya and other kuntigi players are solo performers who accompany themselves
with a rapid ostinato on the kuntigi. During instrumental interludes they repeat a fixed pattern for the
song they are playing, but while singing, they will often change the notes of the pattern to parallel the
melody they are singing.

The essential of his musical repertoire is panegyric or praise –singing by which he extolled the virtues
and greatness of emirs and other royals, aside from influential men in the society.. The only outstanding
leitmotif in his musical repertoire is his sincerity in choosing his own heroes to offer praise, unlike many
griots that lavished their talent on singing the praises of the rich and famous, Dan Maraya Jos would
rather settle for those he personally defined as exemplary whether rich or poor, thus he was able to
raise the griotic art to high elevation. His first and perhaps still his most famous song is “Wak’ar Karen
Mota” [“Song of the Driver’s Mate”] in praise of the young men who get passengers in and out of
minivan buses and do the dirty work of changing tires, pushing broken down vans, and the like. During
the Nigerian Civil War, he composed numerous songs in praise of soldiers of the federal army and
incorporated vivid accounts of scenes from the war in his songs.

As a social commentator and critic, he lampooned excesses of power and abuse of privileges in many of
his songs. This side of him has often led some critics to compare his method to that of the Senegalese
griots who abhorred excesses in any form. In these songs of commentary can be found those on
marriage. Dan Maraya incorporates lines from the tradition of Hausa poetry in many of his leading
songs. He also questioned orthodoxies in the society such as the practice of forced marriage, early
marriage and such other practices that are at odds with modern life. He was especially hard-hitting on
practice of families arranging marriages for their daughters rather than letting them decide on their own
mates. “Gulma-Wuya” [“The Busybody”] describes a neighborhood gossip who works in collusion with a
boka (a practitioner in casting spells, removing evil spirits, etc.) to disrupt marriages by sowing
dissension between women and their husbands. The latter song is amusing in that Dan Maraya performs
it as a drama, imitating the voices of the different characters as they speak, a technique that he has used
in other songs as well.

He fell ill before the 2015 general elections. His last public performance was at the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) fund-raising dinner.

He has significantly contributed to national unity, peace and stability by preaching togetherness and
common brotherhood of all Nigerians in the many beautiful lyrics he sang through the ages,.

Without doubt, his name would be written in gold in the annals of Nigeria’s history as a talented
musician, poet and a philosopher. His music was full of wisdom which will not only outlive him but will
continue to be reference point for generations to come

Paying tributes to the departed soloist, Akin Adejuwon, the artistic director, National Troupe of Nigeria,
said “His death signals the exit of a great icon of African traditional music, a creative innovator in the
Hausa musical genre and a great performer par excellence. He was a rare African soloist and
instrumentalist who created a niche for himself in the Nigerian nationalist environment of the mid
twentieth century. He was able to sustain same over the decades through his originality and creative
genius. This is such a great loss to Nigerian traditional music and Africa as a whole, particularly against
the background that the instability in his domain (Plateau State) in the past few years perhaps
minimised the impact he would have made further upon the lives of upcoming Nigerian artistes, more
so musicians.”
Benson Idonije, a veteran broadcaster and newspaper columnist, described him as one of the leaders of
Nigeria’s indigenous music, “he was indeed a great musician whose place in the music firmament in
Nigeria will be difficult to fill.”

Also, Dr. Austine Ananze Akpuda, a poet and senior lecturer in English Literature at the Abia State
University, Uturu, described ‘Dan Maraya Jos’ death as a huge loss to Nigeria and the entire
entertainment industry worldwide.

“As an artist who created a major brand for himself, he will be greatly missed not only by his biological
family but also a network of other communities whose lives have been touched by his performances.

‘Among these include fellow artistes and the clan of teachers and scholars of oral performance whose
job will be to keep memories of Dan Maraya Jos’s art permanently etched in the vibrant art academy.
Indeed, a major cultural icon has departed but his legacies will remain with us.”

Though the famous musician had no biological child of his own, he was said to have raised a good
numbers of youths from childhood to adulthood.

His Bauchi Road residence was yesterday besieged by an upsurge of sympathizers as they rushed to pay
tributes and sympathise with relations.

One of his closest friends in Jos, Alhaji Musa Satti, described him as a great griot whose contributions to
Hausa music and lyrics would never be forgotten.

His musical contemporaries include Hausa music artists such as Muhamman Shata, Audo Yaron Goje,
Bala Miller and Ibrahim Na Habu.

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CHAPTER TWO

AFRICAN CALTURE

Data analysis of the poem

Hausa version. English version

Muna Batu Alan al'ada. We are talking about culture

Ashe ! Lamar mutum da al'adunsa. Really,like a person and his culture

Sun kama da halayen sa Looked like his culture

Lamar mutum da halayen shi Like person and his behaviour

To sun kama da al'adunshi. Looked like his culture.

 This stanza that present above is first stanza which contained five lines and focused on
African culture. In this part the poet tried to figured out, the way of African people take their
culture with important. According to alhaji Dr danmaraya jos,to the African people, culture and
behaviour are looked like, that is why he used figure of speech called "Simile". the word
(LIKE)in four lines from the above stanza where in second line,he said"Like person and his
culture" here the poet compared the person and his culture,by using word like and he also used
the simile in third like where he said "Looked like his behaviour". the poet further more used the
word,where he said"Like person and his behaviour" and the last simile used by the poet is like
where he said "looked like his culture.

Zana Baku bayani. I will tell you a story

Yan Africa bayin Allah. African are God servant

Wajen Shiga kamarmu gida ne Our dressed is looked like

Ko a al'adummu Or in our culture

Babban abun mamaki. A very amazing thing

Don haka guntun bredi guntun bota So,a piece of bread ana bota

Da yar miya ta faranti. And piece of farant soup

Da cokali mai yatsu And fork

Ba su temako a gareni. Do not help me

Sai in wanke goma Whereupon washed ten

Insa biyar ko a kwarya And put five in a calabash

In debi duniyar Al'ada. And fetched world of culture

Shine abinda ni nai gado. It is my heiree.

Apart from first stanza,now we looked into the second stanza that contains thirteen line. In this
segment.Alhaji Dr danmaraya jos continue to expressed his emotions about the African culture.
In this part, the poet used three figuire of speech where first figure of speech is Simile ,by using
word (Like) where he said"Our dressed is looked like".in this stanza the poet expressed his
experience/Thought/Feeling about African heritage,here the poet focused on our dressed and
food especially in Hausa society that really clashed with European culture, Alhaji Dr danmaraya
jos the symbols of our food and the way we eat it. Obviously, we know the piece of bread and
piece of soup and fork is European norms. That is why the poet used figuire of speech
Euphemism where he said"Whereupon washed ten"and used five in a calabash, which means he
washed two Hands and used five that is one (right hand to eat). Where at the end of this stanza
the poet used onother figuire of speech called Hyperbole,where he said "And fetched world of
culture"it is my heiree.

Babban abun mamaki. A very astonished thing

Babban abun ta'azibi A very astounded thing

Amma na tuna akwai wasu yaya But,I thought there was a children

Idan kace sannunku If you said (sannunku)

Sai kaji sunce. Than you hear they said

I no de hear Hausa. I no de hear Hausa

Babban abun mamaki. A very amazing thing

Na tuna akwai wasu yaya. I thought there was a children

Idan kace,kedu odinma kachi fo If you said,kedu odinma kachi fo

Sai kaji sunce ah ! Then you hear they said ah !

I no de hear Igbo. I no de hear Igbo

Abun mamaki. Amazing thing

Natuna akwai wasu yaya I thought there was a children

Idan kace, sè dadani adufè. If you said,sè dada ni adufè

Sai kaji sunce ah! Then you hear they said ah!

I no de hear Yaruba I no de hear Yaruba

Abun mamaki. Amazing thing

Abunda da su suka dauka. The thing they understood

Harshen nasara shi yafi na su European languages is better than theirs

Kayan aro abun banza ne the debt cloth is useless things

In Mai abun ya karbi abusa to dole sè. If the owners collect his things you must then
 This is the third stanza, this stanza contain thirdty one irrigular lines. In this segment,Alhaji
Dr Danmaraya jos continue to speak about culture,but here,he pay his attention on the Nigerian
tribes because must of Nigerian people are looked themselves as a European people. To them if
you cannot speak English you are a dull,that is why the poet focused on the major Nigerian
language. And shows his amazement, by saying in line four "if I said Sannunku" the person
might respond to you and said I no de hear Hausa while he is a tiffical Hausa. Not only Hausa
even Yaruba and Igbo use to say so Alhaji Dr Danmaraya jos started from the major Nigerian
language Hausa that is popular especially in northern Nigerian,and followed by Yaruba and Igbo
at the last. Here the poet expressed his mood on the people that leaves their own language and
take European languages with must important than theirs. According to Alhaji Dr Danmaraya
jos, whenever he met with Igbo people and greet them in their own language where he said if
you sai (ke du odinma kachi fo) the Igbo also responsed by of Hausa said,even Yaruba used to
said that. The poet spoke to them and expressed his emotions,and give some pieces of advice to
Keep a borrowing any culture aside and take their own culture with important more than any
culture in the world. That why in the second to the last line said "the debt cloth is useless things"
an whenever the owner collect his thing what are we going to do the preceded stanza,he
continued to said as we are an African people we must show love on our culture and take it better
than any culture that is why he ignored any European culture and concentrate on
African/Nigerian culture.

Babban abun mamaki. A very amazing thing

Zana Baku bayani. I will give you a story

Ni Danmaraya ke muku waka. I am Danmaraya singing a song

Na je Morocco na je Saudi I went Morocco I went Saudi

Abin mamaki. Amazing thing

Harma Ethiopia na zaga. And till Ethiopia I went through

Sabo da aikin waka. Due to the act of singing

Na sauka birnin Kenya. I stepped off Kenyan city

Amma Africa ke nan kaji But, Africa you hear

Babban abun mamaki. A very amazing thing

Sun rike Al'ada. They held culture

Na tuna akwai wasu yaya. I thought there was a children

In za'a basu abici. If they would given a food

Abun mamaki. Amazing thing

A dau wuka da da gadara. They would brought the knife compidently

Abasu hannun dama. Give them in a right hand

Adauki cokali Mai yatsu And took a fork

Abasu hannun hagu And give them in a left hand

Kuma su yanki abincin. Again they cut the food

Da hannun dama with the right hand

Kuma su soki abincin da hannun hagu And forking the food

Da hannun hagu. With left hand

Kinga har su Kai bakinsu. Till they took it to their

mouth

Ni Danmaraya ke muku waka I am Danmaraya singing you a song

Ni ba haka nan nake na Am not like that

Tun ina Kara mina. Since I was a child

Idan ta bani abinci. If she gave me a food

Muddin na sanya hannun hagu. Tribally I used left hand

Gyatuma ta kan doke ni mother bit me

Ta kance ubanka bai gada ba. And said did not your father heiree.

This is the last and final stanza,it contained thirty irrigular lines. In this case Alhaji Dr
Danmaraya Jos used figuire of speech called Hyperbole from line two to line eight where he
exaggerated his work that he said the way of singing a song took him to Morocco, Saudi
Arabian, Ethiopia and Kenyan city. Here he expressed his emotions in a good mood. As a Hausa
singer got a chance to go through the world, surprisingly wherever he went he looked into their
culture,and how they respected it,like Nigeria that is why he used another figuire of speech
called Irony. In line nine to eleventh where he said "but the African hear"held the culture".but
what suprised him here ,how the people that cured about their culture ignored it and borrowed
from other. To him as an African, northern Nigerian, particularly in Muslim society.

There is something called (Adabul da'am) whenever a person eat food must used right hand to
eat anymore. In this case, Alhaji Dr Adamu Danmaraya Jos expressed his viewed on how a
person who learnt good thing from the parents and elders,but they grew up then it automatically
changed to wrong, thought it is wised. To him it is dullness, when a person felt that he went to
school, as been an educatied, someone is just came to you and changed your good behaviour
from good to bad. As you familiar to used right hand to eat, oneday a personal come to you with
the new culture to you that give you the knife in a right hand and give you fork in a left hand and
used right hand to cut the food and used left hand to forking the food up to their mouth.

Where at the last said"I am not like that" and narrated that when he was a child, whenever he
was gave a food and used left hand to eat, mother hit his hand and said did not a heritage of your
father. Here is not only Danmaraya, is for all African culture,used left hand to give, collect, and
eat is not a good or moral culture.

CHAPTER THREE