The obvious function of a broom is to sweep away dust and keep a place clean. But have you ever asked yourself whatBeyond Sweeping: The Cultural Significance of the Broom and what other roles a broom can play apart from cleaning? Can a broom serve purposes beyond keeping the compound tidy?
David Zakayo Kalukhana from Teresia, Malava, Kabras in Kakamega County sheds light on the beliefs associated with the broom in ancient African life.
In African tradition, the broom symbolizes purification, protection and sweeping away of the old to welcome the new. It holds special significance during weddings, where couples jump over a broom to signify commitment, establishment of a new home and the beginning of a clean, shared future. This act is also believed to ward off evil spirits and mark the transition into married life.The broom represents a woman’s role in maintaining the home and reflects community support for the newly married couple.
Beyond weddings, brooms traditionally were used to cleanse both spaces and people. Sweeping was believed to remove negativity, evil spirits and past wrongs creating room for fresh beginnings. During wedding ceremonies, the broom is placed on the ground and the couple jumps over it together, symbolizing leaving the past behind and entering a shared future. In some communities, the couple sweeps in circles before the jump or has the broom waved over their heads to bless the union and protect it from harm.
In earlier times, strict beliefs surrounded the use of a broom. It was considered wrong for a mother to point at someone with a broom, as it was believed to bring a curse. According to tradition, a child cursed in this way would grow up and fail to bathe properly, reflecting the seriousness attached to the broom’s symbolic power.
The broom has been used metaphorically in language. In Kiswahili, for instance, calling someone “mchafu” (dirty) is sometimes associated with a broom, referring to a person perceived as unclean.
“In the past, it was considered taboo to sweep at night and then throw away the dust immediately. It was believed that doing so meant throwing away your luck. Instead, the dust would be swept up and hidden in a corner by the door, to be thrown away the following morning”.
Clearly, the broom is more than a simple cleaning tool. In African culture, it carries deep symbolic meaning tied to purity, transition, discipline and social values. While modern life may have reduced its role to household cleaning, the broom remains a powerful reminder of the beliefs and traditions that shaped community life in the past