The domestic broom has been very protective against evil spells and witchcraft even though the digital generation is unaware of these cultural fact because of the high value placed on foreign products.
Majority of modern homes prefer plastic and artificial broom because of accessibility and the desire to upgrade. In the ancient Igbo world, there were many sacred customs regarding the domestic broom which is seemingly now neglected.
1. One is not expected to sweep the house when visitors are present because you intend to communicate their exit to them through actions.
2. One is not expected to sweep the home at night because the night is for spirits and the domestic broom is antidote to spirits, therefore the result is either the sweeper is interrupting the time allotted to the spirits or the individual is casting away positive spirits that would have shielded him at night against evil (Ignorance of this particular practice has caused many spiritual attacks at night).
3. When the Igbo people suspect that the exited visitor is accompanied by ụchụ (misfortune) aura, it is best to use the domestic broom to sweep the ụchụ out of your environs to avoid inheriting set back in life and businesses.
4. The Chief priest will always ensure that their brooms are short enough not to touch their working herbs and spices as it would neutralize it’s potency. That is why the sacred shrine is always swept with the shortest broom.
5. Due to the potency naturally embedded in the broom, when the Igbo people suspects that a young person died an unnatural death, the corpse is handed over a broom to avenge his death and this cultural rule has never failed the people, if not for the coming of western religion which sought to dispalce our customs.
6. When the Igbo gets spiritual attacks at night, he counters the attack with a domestic broom at the door. Sadly the loss of these ancient knowledge has made us not to realize the potency of our culture.
Our religious scholars would easily agree that the creator has embedded much potency in the broom when they read where God said he will use a broom of destruction (Isaiah 14:23), which means even the heavens knows that there is a particular broom that performs wonders but we the mortals overlook our God given weapon.
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Ndewo nụ Ụmụ Igbo.
Written by: Sunny Uma Anderson/ Edited by: Alisigwe Gift
IMAGE: Inspiredpencil
