Thursday, March 8, 2012

Jumping The Broom


Jumping The Broom

During slavery times a slaves marriage didn’t have a legal standing nor was the marriage protected from the abuses and domination imposed on them by the slave-owners. A married couple, who were slaves were without legal rights, they could be separated or sold at their owners will. If the couple resided on different plantations they were allowed to visit each other only if they had their owners permission. They were not allowed to live in the same house hold like white married couples were. They didn’t have the benefit of being married by the church. Historian John Blassingame wrote about this. In his writings he states “that in most cases the slaves had to simply get their master's permission. Then they would move into a cabin together." House servants were often allowed to have a formal marriage. The slave-owner would have a preacher perform the ceremony. Often times there would be a large feast and dance held in the "quarters" to honor the couple’s marriage. Sometimes the ceremony included the slave marriage ritual of "jumping the broom”.

 Jumping the broom was not a custom of slavery, but is a part of African culture. When slavery was over African-Americans could have church weddings. Most of them felt the broom ceremony wasn't required anymore.  Jumping the broom fell out of practice among most African Americans who wanted nothing to do with anything associated with the slavery. A lot of practices were put aside. When Black folks moved to the North they wanted nothing to do with the practices of the South that they thought were back-wards. Many became interested in their heritage again when Alex Haley published his book "Roots." Jumping the Broom is also practiced by those who are not African American. There are different religions that practice this ceremony with-in their culture. To name a few Wiccans and Gypsies have developed their own broom-jumping tradition.

The broom has always had a spiritual value; it symbolizes the sweeping away past wrongs or removing evil spirits. When a couple jumps over the broom in a wedding they are leaving the past behind them. They are beginning a new life together. They are becoming one in their marriage. I wanted to write about this because I think it is a very important ceremony and two because I have the honor of making my soon to be daughter- in-laws broom for her wedding to my son.

Momma Starr


4 comments:

  1. Congratulations for your son's marriage. May God bless their union.

    As far as the 'jumping the broom', I do believe that it probably, and I say probably because I have no proof, began as a means of making sure the wife wasn't a witch. As we all probably know, witches can't cross a broom. So a witch would not be able to hop the broom either. However, I do like the notion of jumping the broom as a way of cleansing the past and making ready for the new life as a married couple.

    Also, I just wanted to mention I've seen two types of this rite being done. The first type is when the broom is placed on the ground and the couple hold hands and jump over it. The second type is when the couple stands close and another person holds the broom and moves it close to their feet and the couple then jump over it. So I don't know which one is the more traditional but I guess they both are good. Thanks for posting this. :)

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  2. I think the holding of the broom is more tradional but I didn't want to catch anyones hand in the picture so I set the broom on the floor. Momma Starr

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  3. Thanks for posting this information and congrats on your sons marriage, may it be blessed for years to come!

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  4. Thank you. He's got a good girl and I love her. She's perfect for him. Both of my son's have picked great girls to marry. A Momma couldn't ask for any better for them. Momma Starr

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