By Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

For some individuals, ghosts or 'duppies', evil spirits and fallen angels are not real but are products of a superstitious mind. However, for others who fear them and are intent on overcoming them, forking out big bucks to a professional 'duppy catcher' is an easy decision to make.

Fear can be quite costly and so fees as high as $90,000 are being paid to professional 'ghost busters' in the Maroon community of Accompong, St. Elizabeth, which have built up a reputation of chasing or trapping duppies for many years.

Rupee, one of these men, says that he has successfully chased at least 70 duppies in just over 30 years and a demand for his services has taken him as far as 100 miles from Accompong to Spanish Town.

Colonel Sidney Peddi O.D, leader of the community, told THE STAR that in terms of the people that visit them, many have come thousands of miles. "Even people from the (United) States visit us for advice regarding spirits," he said.

'Zion religion'

He said that the art of duppy capturing is one that has been passed down through generations and only Maroons of such ancestral lineage will learn and be able to practise the special art. The Maroons who engage in such activities are of two groups, 'Zion religion' and Kumina practices.

After speaking to Colonel Peddi, THE STAR's search for duppy catchers led to Mother Rosie, leader of the Zion religion church in the community.

"Mi use to coulda do it, but mi lose the gift," she said, however, when asked about the practice. She blames her loss on a previous leader of the church who went to extremes to ensure that she lost the gift. She feels that her fate came as a result of the tremendous progress she was making in the business.

"She si seh I was doing fine and she did bad mind suh she write mi name pon parchment paper and bury it inna di back a har yard, from dat mi jus cyaa do it again," Mother Rosie explained.

Brother Chambers, a member of the Zion religion church, who later spoke to THE STAR claimed, however, that he had the ability to catch duppies but preferred catching what he described as 'fallen angels.'

'Fallen angels', according to Brother Chambers who has been a part of the Zion religion for over 30 years, are angel-like beings that can be summoned by individuals to kill others.

"People call dung fallen - angel 10 in the day, 10 in the night, 12 midday and 12 midnight. Once dem come, a death y'know, unless yu under heavy guard," he explained.

Deadly spirits

This is where his expertise comes into play. For a negotiable fee of at least $20,000, Brother Chambers claims he can protect you from the harm of these deadly spirits and for a minimum of $50,000, he can catch the fallen angel.

He explained that individuals who solicit his service are always of the belief that a duppy is haunting them, when it is in fact a fallen angel.

"A nuh everybody can si fallen angel, but if yu cyaa see it yu ago hear it. It mek a rumbling soun' wen it a come, so wen people come to me, dem always a seh duppy a haunt dem. But once dem tell mi bout di soun, mi can safely tell dem seh a fallen angel," he said.

Brother Chambers also claimed that most, if not all individuals, prefer to be guarded from the harm of the fallen angel instead of requiring that it be trapped.

"People always want mi guard dem from di angel dem cause dem kina fraid a di ketching ting cuz dem always a seh what if dem escape," he said.

In protecting one from a fallen angel, Brother Chambers explained that he uses a half-pint bottle containing rum which he then drops a dollar coin inside and after reading a Psalm, which he wished not to announce, the fallen angel will have no choice but to enter the bottle. The bottle would subsequently be covered and buried.

In the case of Rupee, who is known in the community for his acts of duppy casting, he is linked to Kumina practices similar to his maroon ancestors. "Me nuh inna di Zion religion ting, a Kumina me deal wid....di magnificent powers of Cudjoe dat me deal wid," Rupee said.

When asked about his duppy catching practices, Rupee after laughing said: "Yu nuh ketch duppy jus suh eno, yu cast or chase dem away, if yu waan ketch duppy yu affi trap it inna di grave."

In relating the duppy chasing adventure that took him to Spanish Town, Rupee said: "Bout a year ago, a likkle lady come gimmi a check seh she want mi run a duppy weh a badda har madda a night time.....Wen me an di dawta reach a Spanish Town an we reach a di yaad, as mi buss di door nuh di duppy dat mi see widen out him wife foot an a fling wine pon har," he recalled.

"Mi did have mi special oil an a piece a school chalk so mi jus mark 3 "x" over the door and the window dem. Mi jus call one dog weh mi did si inna di yard, an den sprinkle mi oil pon him (the duppy) an tun him inna one cat...Di dog jus start chase him all bout di place 'til him run outta di yard and inna some far bush....from dat dem no see him agen," he further recalled.

THE STAR also learnt that Rupee is the chief blower of the abeng, a Maroon traditional wind instrument which is being used to attract duppies and to cast them away.

"Yeah man di duppy dem love di sound a di abeng eno, once mi throw some rum inna it an start blow it, dem jus follow di soun' of it, an mi jus lead dem away where dem neva to return," Rupee said.

Certain Psalms, special oils and special candles are items which Rupee claims he utilises on his duppy chasing jobs.

Several of the Accompong residents share similar beliefs to the 'duppy catchers' and claim that they have seen them in action. "...Afta is not a secret, people from all bout come si fi demself...Duppy real eno, fallen angel real eno, yu betta believe, an dem people deh who yu talk to a long time dem a do dem work deh," one resident said.

When THE STAR spoke to Dr. Orville Taylor, senior lecturer in the department of Sociology at the University of the West Indies (UWI), he expressed his belief in what he describes as the paranormal phenomena.

He however added that one's perceptions lies within the limits of one's beliefs.

"There are many scenarios which are unexplainable, at the same time if you live in a society which believes in God, it is a non-argument as to if duppies exists because it all depends on one's belief, " Dr. Taylor told THE STAR.

Similar was the belief of Bishop Peter Morgan from the Kingston City Church. "I believe that there is a real world in the spiritual realm, and the spiritual realm does materialise itself sometimes in whatever form," he said. Nevertheless, Bishop Morgan dared any individual who claims to have the power to capture a duppy. "I don't know if someone can catch a duppy, if anyone makes a claim like that I challenge them to prove it."