Maryland, My Maryland

By Delva M. Harvey Baker

Every culture has its fair share of firmly entrenched beliefs in hexes, curses, the afterlife, superstitions, and ghosts. In Maryland, My Maryland, a retired educator and long-time storyteller intertwines historical and cultural experiences into an entertaining collection of perspectives, beliefs, customs, and plain old duppy stories from rural areas of Jamaica and Mexico.

Delva Harvey Baker draws others into a ghostly world where ideas and experiences gleaned from an insiders perspective both inform and entertain. Others will lose themselves in the triangle of love, death, and the Kumina drums; the intriguing story of David and Sonia; the macabre romance that plays out in a Mexican cemetery between two lovers; and the investigation of Miss Maggies new houseguest. The diverse stories are infused with rich bites of Jamaican patios formed from the truly eclectic mix of Spanish, English, and Iberian languages.

Maryland, My Maryland is a hauntingly engaging compilation of ghost stories infused with references to Jamaican and Mexican culture that provoke questions and challenge beliefs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781532037344

Delva M. Harvey Baker

Delva M. Harvey Baker grew up in Harvey River, Hanover, Jamaica, where she listened to extraordinary storytellers and honed her own storytelling skills. She is a retired elementary principal who continues to consult and work as a substitute teacher. Delva enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren and traveling to the United States and Mexico.

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Copyright © 2018 Delva M. Harvey Baker.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5320-3733-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-3735-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-3734-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017917726

iUniverse rev. date: 02/12/2018

CONTENTS

Preface

Section One

YOURS TRULY, MARYLAND

My People, My Family, My Maryland

The Fancy

Gutter Head

Fireball

Section Two

SCARY, FUNNY, BUT TRUE

Crab Catching

My Uncle

Woodlands Visited

Section Three

GHOSTLY JOURNEYS

Spirit on the High Seas

Loving Spirits in Foreign Lands

Section Four

SUPERNATURAL CUSTOMS, HISTORICAL TIES

Not Me!

Prologue to Sugar Duppy

Sugar Duppy

The Husband and Kumina

The Modern

Not That Girl

Acknowledgements

Definition of Terms

ELEVATOR PITCH

Maryland, My Maryland is a collection of whimsies, accents, experiences, beliefs, and duppy stories from areas of Jamaica and Mexico.

Lose yourself in the triangle of love, death, and the Kumina drums.

It’s a hauntingly entertaining compilation of ghost stories infused with references to Jamaican and Mexican culture.

Think Shirley Jackson’s wry intrigue mixed with Grandma’s familiar, welcoming tone.

David and Sonia’s story will have you on edge forever after.

Enjoy the enthralling, macabre romance that must play out in a Mexican cemetery between lovers Alarico and Abila.

Engage your inner detective as you investigate Miss Maggie’s new houseguest. All these stories and more will capture your imagination and leave you hysterical.

I wish to

dedicate this book to all my grandchildren. I hope they will read and enjoy it. I heard these stories as a child, and I hope they will be able to pass them on to their children.

PREFACE

Every culture has its fair share of beliefs in hexes, curses, the afterlife, paranormal activities, and superstitions. A ghost is said to be a spirit or apparition. It is the energy, soul, or personality of a person who has died and has somehow gotten stuck between this plane of existence and the next. Some people consider that these people don’t know they are dead, or they weren’t prepared to die.

Some cultures believe that the ancient dead come back to receive the recent dead, and it is the send-off of the recent dead that determines whether they remain to harm and claim possession of the living, or leave to rest on the other side of life with the ancient dead.

Jamaica’s culture represents a combination of beliefs and practices that inhabited and still inhabit Jamaica. The Taino settlers, the Spanish, and the British all played roles. However, it is the African slaves who became a dominant cultural force as they suffered and resisted the harsh conditions of forced labour. The largest religion in Jamaica is Christianity, yet elements of ancient African religions are practiced and staunchly defended throughout the island. It is estimated that nearly 60 percent of the population seeks out the services of the ancient African religious healers when confronted with serious problems that modernization cannot remedy. It is interesting that Jamaicans can hold opposing religious beliefs and practices equally near and dear to their hearts. There are even denominations such as Zionism and Pocomania that practice interesting combinations of Christian beliefs and African traditions involving consulting with the spirits. The story Not Me explores this idea in a humorous way.

The Bible mentions the word ghost a handful of times, however it makes mention of mediums and spiritualists who consult the spirit of the dead. Many times, this spirit of the dead would be the same thing as a ghost.

Jesus’s disciples thought he was a ghost in Mark 6: 49. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out.

Additionally, Matthew 14: 26 states, And when the disciples saw Him walking on the on the sea, they were troubled saying, it is a spirit: and they cried out for fear.

Here is Luke 24:37–39.

But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them. Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself, handle me and see me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

After the resurrection, Luke 24:37 recorded, They were terrified and frightened and supposed they had seen a spirit. Jesus allowed them to touch him.

In Leviticus 19:31, we are reminded, Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritualists for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

The most direct reference to a ghost in the Bible that refers to the spirit is in 1 Samuel 28:

"So he went to a medium and asked her to