Broken_wand_ceremony
Broken wand ceremony
Ritual performed at the funeral of a magician
A broken wand ceremony is a ritual performed at or shortly before the funeral of a magician,[1] 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.[2]
The first broken wand ceremony was held in 1926, after the death of Harry Houdini.[3] The Society of American Magicians continues to hold an annual ceremony at Houdini's grave.[4]