What is the tradition of jumping the broom?

Jumping the broom is a traditional act performed at some Black weddings. After vows are exchanged, the newlyweds hold hands and jump over a broom to seal the union.

What is the symbolism of jumping the broom?

Brooms were (are) waved over the heads of marrying couples to ward off spirits. The couple would often but not always jump over the broom at the end of the ceremony. Jumping over the broom symbolized the wife's commitment or willingness to clean the courtyard of the new home she had joined.

Is jumping the broom a Pagan tradition?

What is Jumping the Broom? With debated origins in both African and Roma traditions, Jumping the Broom is a beautiful and rich tradition in which the couple literally jumps over a broom (or a Pagan besom) at the end of a wedding ceremony to symbolize sweeping away the old and welcoming the new.

Can a white person jump the broom?

In fact, slaves who were forced to come into America–a place with no real history all its own, nor rooted traditions, were all jumping the broom in the 16th century. So, no White people, you can't jump the broom.

Is jumping the broom an Irish tradition?

To the extent that it is practiced today, “jumping the broom” is seen more often in Scotland and Wales than in Ireland and it usually takes place either at the very end of the ceremony – symbolic perhaps of the couple jumping into a new life together - or during the reception.

Ep 67 Jumping the Broom

Is jumping the broom an African tradition?

The Wedding Tradition of Jumping the Broom Didn't Actually Derive From Africa. Popularized by Roots, jumping the broom has been traced back to wedding rituals in Europe.

Is jumping the broom a Scottish tradition?

The newlyweds also participated in broom jumping, a Highland tradition in which a broom would sweep any dirt in front of the couple, who in turn would jump over the broom - representing getting rid of any bad omens.

What religion jumps over a broom?

In Christian ceremonies, the broom handle represents God, the straw bristles signify the couple's families, and a ribbon around the broom symbolizes the ties that bind the couple. In Pagan ceremonies, it is said that the broom handle represents the male phallus and the bristles represent female energy.

Is jumping the broom a legal marriage?

Jumping the broom fell out of practice when black people were free to marry legally. The practice did survive in some communities, and the phrase "jumping the broom" was synonymous with "getting married," even if the couple did not literally jump a broom.

Why do you hop over a broom at a wedding?

Jumping over the broom symbolized wedded love defying evil and witchcraft. The practice may also be related to a British version of carrying the bride over the threshold. For that tradition, in some British communities, brooms were placed at the entrance of the room the bride and groom would go into.

Do Wiccans jump the broom?

While some wiccan and pagan weddings also include jumping the broom during or after the wedding ceremony owing to its pagan grounding, it's important to consider the wider context of jumping the broom before you commit.

What do you say before jumping the broom?

Close your eyes, hold hands and jump the broomstick! Take the leap into your new life together, leaving behind the old certainties and trusting in your love and your future together; loved ones cheering you on and your celebrant at your back!

How did slaves get married?

Slaves often married without the benefit of clergy, and as historian John Blassingame states, "the marriage ceremony in most cases consisted of the slaves simply getting the master's permission and moving into a cabin together." Benjamin and Sarah Manson's marriage, however, had been graced with a formal ceremony.

What is a traditional Irish wedding?

Handfasting, a popular symbol of unity at many weddings, is an ancient Celtic tradition that dates back 2,000 years. The ceremony was an engagement or commitment ritual allowing the couple to live together for a year and a day to see if they were compatible; if they were not, they could merely separate.

Why do Jews break glass?

Breaking of the Glass

Some say it represents the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Others say it demonstrates that marriage holds sorrow as well as joy and is a representation of the commitment to stand by one another even in hard times.

How do you have a pagan wedding?

What is involved in a pagan wedding? Pagan wedding ceremonies are called handfastings and mark the coming together of two people in a formal, loving and equal sexual partnership. Others vow to handfast for life while a few, in accordance with Pagan beliefs in reincarnation, do so for all their future lives as well.

Can the bride and groom sleep together the night before the wedding?

It really is entirely up to you. There isn't a rule that says you have to but here's what's most important: that you relax. You'll want to rest up so you're totally prepared for your wedding. You're going to need all your energy for the wedding day (all that smiling and vow exchanging it honestly exhausting!).

Is jumping the broom Celtic?

Jumping the broom is an historical ritual with Celtic roots. Like many traditions, exactly how and where it started is brought into question. Some say it started with the Romani Gypsy people living in Wales and others say it originated with the Welsh people themselves.

Why do people throw rice at weddings?

The rice toss is a symbolic wish to the just-married couple for a life of prosperity and fruitfulness, which to the ancients meant many children. As a blessing, guests shower the couple with rice as they exit the ceremony.

What religious beliefs did the slaves have?

The slaves brought a wide variety of religious traditions with them including tribal shamanism and Islam. Beyond that, tribal traditions could vary to a high degree across the African continent.

Can slaves own property?

Legally considered property, slaves were not allowed to own property of their own. They were not allowed to assemble without the presence of a white person. Slaves that lived off the plantation were subject to special curfews. In the courts, a slave accused of any crime against a white person was doomed.

Why were slaves not allowed to be taught to read?

Fearing that black literacy would prove a threat to the slave system -- which relied on slaves' dependence on masters -- whites in many colonies instituted laws forbidding slaves to learn to read or write and making it a crime for others to teach them.

Do you kiss before or after jumping the broom?

One of the attendants then hands the broom to the bride and groom, who hold the broom handle together and sweep around in a circle until the Minister or designated person is finished speaking. The groom then places the broom on the ground in their path, kisses the bride and holds hands.

What are Scottish wedding traditions?

In Scotland today, many couples (including myself!) literally tie-the-knot on their wedding day! What happens during the ceremony is that the bride and groom both provide a strip of cloth, usually their clan tartan, but it can be anything, and in fact rope, scarves and even dog-leads have been used for this purpose.

What does living over the brush mean?

(Northern England, idiomatic) To cohabit without being married.