When Canadian couple Elli Kozak and Cassandra Doherty decided to get married in Montego Bay last January, they added a new meaning to the phrase, ‘jumping the broom’. They did just that, crossing a red, green and gold broom made by reggae singer Jahdon.
Jumping The Broom is the name of a new line of products made by Broomie, a company he operates with his wife, Francine Mamby. With Elli being a fan of of Jahdon’s music and his bride an immigration lawyer who works with the Jamaican community in Ontario, it seemed only natural they reached out to the root’s artist.
“Broomie was accommodating and professional, even customizing the broom with our wedding colors and personal touches,” said Elli, a music teacher.
The happy event is the latest good news for Broomie, which products are available in leading Jamaican outlets such as Devon House in Kingston and Reggae Selection Gift Shop in trendy Rose Hall, Montego Bay.
While he is known for roots-reggae songs such as ‘Congo Bongo’ and ‘Broomie’, making brooms has been a lifelong vocation for Jahdon. His family, who are from rustic Canaan Heights in Clarendon parish, have been broom makers for over 50 years.
The growing Broomie catalog includes brooms of varying sizes, made by the artist, as well as refrigerator magnets, keychains and necklaces. Adding Jumping the Broom, Francine noted, is more than symbolic.
“The act of jumping the broom has deep, historical significance, particularly within the African American community, where enslaved individuals used this ritual to symbolize their union in times when their marriages weren’t legally recognized,” she said.
In addition to ‘Congo Bongo’ and ‘Broomie’, ‘Give’ and ‘Pain’ are among Jahdon’s previous songs. His album, ‘369’, was released in 2020.
