Jumping the Broom is a wedding tradition with confusing origin. Many believed that Jumping the Broom originated as a wedding tradition in the Southern U.S. during the period of slavery. As a way around the master’s ban on marriage, slaves created Jumping the Broom commitment ceremonies, which later became wedding traditions for the African-American community. Although some may believe it’s history creates a negative connotation, it is actually a greatly revered cultural wedding tradition in many modern African-American weddings; providing that even bondage couldn’t deny the importance of the marriage commitment.
However, the tradition of Jumping the Broom has a greater connection to African Tribal Rituals where Jumping the Broom is a show of respect for their ancestors. In the African Tribal ritual, placing of sticks on the ground represent the couples new home and jumping the broom symbolizes a leap into a new life. The African wedding tradition of Jumping the Broom also symbolizes sweeping away the old and welcoming in the new.
Africa is not the only place where jumping a broom is a wedding tradition. In the early history of Ireland, jumping the broom was part of a commitment ceremony. Couples would tie their wrists together and jump over a broom. The broom symbolized fertility and the binding of the wrists commitment. This ceremony was done when couples wanted to marry before a priest was available.
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