A variant spelling of duppy, a ghost or spirit in Caribbean folklore, especially Jamaican traditions.
From West African languages via Caribbean English dialects; likely from Akan 'abosom' (spirit) or Kikongo 'nkubula' (ghostly appearance). The term evolved in Jamaica during the slavery era, blending African spiritual beliefs with English phonetics.
The word 'duppa' shows how enslaved Africans preserved their spiritual beliefs in the Caribbean by naming supernatural concepts they brought from home—these stories are so alive in Jamaican culture today that many people still report duppy encounters seriously!
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