ADVERTISEMENT
Have you heard of jumping the broom? It was new to me until a couple of weeks ago. Jumping the broom is a wedding tradition. It sounds a bit weird, but it is an important symbol to many couples. Today it usually means that when the bride and groom are married, they jump over a broom before they walk down the aisle as husband and wife. Jumping the broom symbolizes that the past is swept away, and a new beginning for the couple as husband and wife.
Old tradition
Jumping the broom is a wedding tradition that is most common in African-American communities in the USA. It is a tradition that goes back to slavery, and many choose to make it part of the wedding as a show of respect to their ancestors and African-American culture.
Slaves did not have many rights. They were treated as property. Families were often split up. Marriages between slaves were seldom respected by the law. Instead of being married by a priest. Slaves had a marriage ceremony where they jumped over a broom. The jumping over the broom symbolised that the bride and groom were husband and wife.
Where does this tradition come from?
Different sources claim different origins for this traditions. Some say that this tradition comes from gypsies in Wales. Others claim that the tradition comes from West Africa. Either way, this ritual was used by people to symbolize the union of marriage and was used when a marriage wasn´t recognized by the church or by the law. This was the case for the gypsies, and it was also the case of the slaves.
Below I have listed some sites where you can read more about the ritual “Jumping the broom” :
Here’s the tangled history behind why some couples jump over a broom at their wedding
- Jumping the broom – a short history (AAREG)
If you want to know more about this marriage ritual, you can watch the film Jumping the broom about a couple who wants to get married. However, this isn´t easy when the come from different backgrounds.
You can rent or buy this film here.
