Broken wand ceremony
Encyclopedia
A broken wand ceremony is a ritual performed at the funeral
of a magic
ian, in which a wand
—either the wand which the magician used in performances, or a ceremonial one—is broken, indicating that with the magician's death, the wand has lost its magic.
The first broken wand ceremony was held in 1926, after the death of Harry Houdini
; the Society of American Magicians
continues to hold an annual ceremony at Houdini's grave.
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
of a magic
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
ian, in which a wand
Wand
A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar...
—either the wand which the magician used in performances, or a ceremonial one—is broken, indicating that with the magician's death, the wand has lost its magic.
The first broken wand ceremony was held in 1926, after the death of Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts...
; the Society of American Magicians
Society of American Magicians
The Society of American Magicians is the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world. Its purpose is "to advance, elevate, and preserve magic as a performing art, to promote harmonious fellowship throughout the world of magic, and to maintain and improve ethical standards in the field of...
continues to hold an annual ceremony at Houdini's grave.
External links
- Guidelines for a Broken Wand Ceremony at the International Brotherhood of MagiciansInternational Brotherhood of MagiciansInternational Brotherhood of Magicians is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St...