Jump over a broom to signify a leap from one life to another
By Pam Parker
Contributing Writer
Tying the knot. Getting hitched. Jumping over the broom. All these terms for nuptials have real origins in ancient customs that pack plenty of folklore. In fact, some cultures actually tied the couple's hands together in a hand-fastening custom that literally requires tying the knot.
That's knot for me (sorry, couldn't resist that one). But I wanted our wedding to be fun, and in the months before we married, my husband, Kim, continually referred to our ceremony as "jumping over the broom." With all that we had going on -- combining two households, selling houses, buying a house, and bringing six bristling kids together, I discovered the custom had a lot of merit. And, I saw it as a way to have a little fun at our wedding because my husband is a known neat freak.
The jumping over the broom ceremony originated in the 1600s in Africa. They believed that a broom held spiritual value and symbolized sweeping away the past wrongs and warding off evil spirits. The custom carried through European cultures and eventually made its way to America as a symbolic union among slaves and other cultures.
The more research I did, the more I liked the custom, so I decided to surprise Kim with the event. I found real meaning rooted in a statement that gave recognition to ancestors. According to one account of the ceremony, the straws of the broom represent family and ancestors; the handle stands for God; and the ribbon around the handle is the tie that binds the couple together. The jump also represents entrance into a new life together, a bridge-crossing that leaves all the past behind. Some customs insist the groom jump over the broom followed by the bride. Others say the couple should jump together in a partnership, not ownership, in the marriage and household.
We designated my brother and sister as the broom people (very honored jobs, according to some of the lore.) My brother told everyone the history behind the event, my sister laid down the broom, and we jumped together; had a good laugh, and broke the tension. My sister then waved the broom over us -- to ward off those evil spirits.
Some interesting folklore surrounding the broom-jumping custom:
Whichever spouse jumps highest over the broom becomes the decision-maker of the household.
If a wife sweeps a circle around her husband, he will remain eternally faithful to her.
Some cultures claim the ritual as a symbol of fertility, and it is bad luck to loan your broom to anyone, lest your fertility be affected.
In some modern ceremonies, the wedding party asks each guest to tie a colorful ribbon on the wedding broom before the couple jumps over it as a symbol of their wish for the couple. Some people ask guests to attach a written prayer or wish.
Tradition indicates any broom can be used for the ceremony, but we purchased a beautiful wedding broom that now remains in our living room as a reminder of ancestors, family, God and the beautiful day that bound us together for life.
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