Originating in the West African country, Ghana. Main roads that were used for trading were swept by the locals in order to keep the roads clean and clear of debris. The brooms that were used were locally made and also believed to ward off evil and sweep away past wrongs. Sweeping your home corner to corner and pushing the dirt out the front door and over your threshold was a custom most people recognized at the time.
Now let us talk about jumping at weddings...
The broom is waived over the couple's head to ward off evil spirits, just as you would sweep your home or your courtyard, you are sweeping away the evil. The ceremony goes on, the couples say their vows, the bride and groom kiss and are announced and they jump over the broom. If one part of the couple trips or cannot make it over the broom it is said that the marriage is not meant to be. If one jumps higher than the other, the higher jumper is the decision-maker in the relationship. Creating a binding ceremony and cleansing the spirit before committing to long, heart-wrenching, ever-lasting, forgiving love, jumping the broom for the wife also meant she is committing to her household and keeping it clear of evil energy and providing blissful energy for her family. Now, these tell-tales of who jumps higher or who cannot jump were accustomed to the time they originated, currently jumping the broom can be a tradition you take on and create your own promises with your partner.
It is rumored that this custom was brought to The United States by slavery, although slaves were not legally allowed to be married, they did so. Imagine, choosing love, working for love, finding love in one of the darkest times this country has seen. Jumping over the broom was the closest thing couples had to signing a marriage certificate without leaving any evidence, risking death by lynching or fire.
Jumping the broom currently has been recognized by many people from many religious and racial backgrounds. Using a broom that has been decorated by the bride's family or even passed down from generations, truly seals a deal that has soul ties. The broom may be placed by the parents of the couple and kept as an heirloom. Sweeping away the past and overcoming hurdles with the one human you choose to be your person is the significance here.
Take on this tradition by paying homage or by creating something that is uniquely yours on your big day!