Striking someone with a broom is believed to curse them with misfortune for years.

Bad Luck from Striking a Person with a Broom

Details

In many cultures, the broom is not just a household cleaning tool but a spiritual symbol tied to sweeping away negative energy. Striking a person with a broom, especially intentionally, is believed to transfer bad energy, disrupt spiritual balance, or ‘sweep away’ a person’s good luck. This belief warns against using household items, particularly those associated with cleansing, as instruments of violence. Some variations of the superstition say that if a person is accidentally touched by a broom, they must immediately spit on it or reverse the gesture by brushing themselves to undo the curse. The intention is to prevent the loss of fortune and peace associated with being symbolically ‘cleansed’ by force.

Historical Context

The origin of this superstition is rooted in the symbolic role of brooms in folk beliefs around cleanliness and energy. In African-American hoodoo traditions and some Caribbean cultures, brooms are used in spiritual rituals and are often associated with warding off evil or sweeping away bad spirits. Therefore, misusing a broom—especially by striking a living person—can be seen as turning a protective object into a harmful one, spiritually speaking. This idea is also reflected in some West African and Southern U.S. beliefs, where the broom is spiritually charged and not to be used against people. The superstition warns that the violation of this tool’s sacred symbolic role invites lasting bad luck or misfortune on the person struck.

Modern Relevance

While less commonly observed in urban or secular societies today, this superstition can still be found in rural communities, particularly in parts of the American South, West Africa, and the Caribbean. It may also appear in pop culture or online folklore forums centered on family traditions and old wives’ tales. In modern spiritual practices, especially those influenced by hoodoo or folk magic, brooms retain symbolic importance and are often treated with reverence. A growing interest in ancestral traditions and rituals among younger spiritualists and practitioners may preserve or reinterpret this superstition within new contexts. However, these interpretations often emphasize energy cleansing over literal misfortune.

Sources

Hyatt, Harry Middleton. ‘Hoodoo – Conjuration – Witchcraft – Rootwork’, 1970.

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