By Marek Sutherland

The tradition of Jumping the Broom is a fine old wedding tradition that helps set a tone for both the wedding ceremony itself and the new life for the happy couple as well.

The tradition of Jumping the Broom seems to come to us from Wales, primarily, though there is still some contention on whether it comes from Romani Gypsy people living in Wales or comes from the Welsh people themselves. The earliest mention seems to come from the early 18th century, though Romani have been in Wales since at least the 16th century.

I don’t really believe it matters as it has been embraced by the Welsh as a sort of common-law marriage symbolic act. The symbolic role of the broom or besom in the home is rich and varied in Celtic culture. Perhaps it’s greatest role is that of setting the boundary between the home and the wild. The act of sweeping the floor was not only a way of cleaning but also demarcated the boundaries of the home. In ancient times, dirt floors were common and often to keep them clean enough to live on they had to be swept several times every day. This has the effect of creating a boundary for the home, just by sheer repetition. So, often the broom was considered one of the first lines of defense for a home maker.

The ritual itself is very simple. Yet it’s significance and meaning run very deep. There are several ways to go about it. The broom or besom may be lain on the floor and the couple hand in hand, leaps over it as high as they might. Another method has the broom laying at an angle in the entryway to the new home and the bride and groom take their turn at leaping over it. Some hold the belief that the higher the leaper, the more powerful in the marriage that one shall be. Still another method has the groom stepping over the broom in the doorway while carrying his new bride.

In parts of England this tradition has been considered more folk than anything and not really for someone who is a modern and progressive kind of person. However, let it be said that the ancient people of Wales are about all that was left of the original British inhabitants before the arrival of the Angles and the Saxons and other Germanic tribes who displaced the local inhabitants, forcing them to move west into what is now Wales and Cornwall.

This tradition seems to have been widely practiced in various parts of the world, from Eastern Europe to the Americas. During the period of Black Slavery in the Americas, it became a way for slaves to signify their own marriages, as Slave marriage was not legally recognized by the governments involved until after Emancipation and the end of the Civil War in America. The practice was likely taken from the whites as a way for slaves to recognize marriage formally among themselves, beyond any remaining African ceremony that may have survived. It was re-explored in the popular black culture during the time Alex Haley’s ‘Roots’ was enjoying its highest popularity.

Today, it is also enjoying a resurgence in popular neo-pagan cultures such as some Wicca groups and adherents along with those who follow a more eclectic brand of spirituality. In some of the more modern incarnations of the practice, the couple may have to leap over a besom which is held aloft by the Best Man and the Maid of Honor. Some traditions require that they have to leap three times over the besom. Another modern practice is to leap over a fire and then leap over the broom immediately after that. It is thought that the fire will burn away negative influences of the past and the besom will denote the new beginning for the two together. Often the handfasting cord may be affixed to the besom and it is then placed somewhere prominent in the marriage home.

Adding this unique tradition to your wedding will bring in a spark of the old world, a bit of magic and mystery and a little action to what may otherwise be a bit stoic of a ceremony. It can ignite new family traditions and add the perfect flair to your special day. Actions, they say speak louder than words and this tradition can help cement the words of commitment you vowed for one another whenever you see a besom in your home.

About The Author

Marek Sutherland writes about Celtic weddings and culture for Reflective Images, selling Celtic jewelry at http://www.celticjewelry.com/content/celtic-weddings/ They sell unique, unusual conflict free Celtic wedding bands at www.artisanweddingrings.com, and fair trade sourced recycled jewelry as well as supporting green, socially responsible jewelry practices. (Fair Jewelry Action Blog)

Tags: For Weddings