Book Review of "Duppy Stories: Jamaica's Ghosts, Gremlins and Rolling Calves" written by David Brailsford

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Duppy Stories, published in 2001, is an entertaining and education book on Jamaican ghostly lore. The book was written by David Brailsford and illustrated by John Stilgoe, it has 138 pages and numerous black and white illustrations that inject realism into the stories.

The word “duppy” is derived from a Bantu word used to refer to spirits or ghosts. The book is a collection of anecdotes, stories and supernatural tales that reflect Jamaica’s beliefs, not only past, but very much present. Rum, as one can imagine, sometimes plays a role in the stories, sometimes by being a catalyst in their formation, others by being a key ingredient in the protection against the multitude of evils lurking in the tropical landscape.

Here are some of the most fascinating “facts” about duppies, listed by the author:

• Scorpions can be driven away if you spit on them and say “Our Father, Our Father"

• That duppies live in Cotton trees

• That Obeah men may throw graveyard dirt onto your zinc roof. This will draw duppies to rattle around your yard at night until the soil is removed

• You may also fall into a trance- like sleep and remain so until the wind blows the dirt away

• That if the Crocodile man visits, he will knock three times. Whatever you do, do not answer the door!

• That if you meet a duppy you can protect yourself by turning your hat inside out

• That you must clean your shoes before returning home from a funeral

• That you may be doomed if you are bitten by a Galliwasp lizard. But, if this happens, you will be healed if you manage to drink water before the lizard does

• That you must not leave your baby’s clothes outside after dark. Duppies will play with them, causing the infant’s sleep to be disturbed

• That if you let a baby cry at night, duppies will steal the child’s voice

Cheers!