Kandi bracelet#PLUR handshake
{{Short description|Type of bracelet associated with rave culture}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}File:Kandi_for_rave.jpg
A kandi bracelet is a type of bracelet usually made out of pony beads, and is a popular type of attire in scene or rave culture, particularly kandi culture. Kandi bracelets are traditionally handcrafted, and some view store-bought kandi bracelets as diminishing their meaning of 'unity'.{{Cite web |last=Small |first=Liz |title=5 Things You Didn't Know About Kandi Bracelets |url=https://relentlessbeats.com/2019/02/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-kandi-bracelets/ |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Relentless Beats |language=en-US}} They are frequently made with rainbow or lettered beads.{{Cite journal |last=Buncsi |first=Carine |date=December 2014 |title=Why Kandi Keeps the Spirit of Rave Alive in the Us |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=100416493&site=eds-live&scope=site |journal=Mixmag |pages=26}}
"Kandi kids" is a term for those in the kandi trading subculture.{{Cite web |last=Bevacqua |first=Joel |date=2017-03-03 |title=Inside the World of the Kandi Kids, Dance Music's Most Colorful Subculture |url=https://www.laweekly.com/inside-the-world-of-the-kandi-kids-dance-musics-most-colorful-subculture/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=LA Weekly |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Pradeep |first=Malavika |date=July 1, 2021 |title=Introducing Kandi kids, a wholesome subculture birthed out of the American rave scene |url=https://screenshot-media.com/the-future/trends/kandi-kids-explained/ |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=Screenshot Media |language=ru}}
History
The term 'kandi' may come from the phrase 'candy necklace'; when pronounced out loud, kandi and candy sound the same.{{Cite web |last=Rinehart |first=JD |date=2022-04-25 |title=What is Kandi? How do You Trade Them at Raves? |url=https://www.deepinthemix.com/what-is-kandi/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |language=en-US}} They started appearing in the early 1990s in the EDM and Rave scene.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-26 |title=Unweaving the history of friendship bracelets |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/history-of-friendship-bracelets |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=Culture |language=en}}
Kandi bracelets may have evolved out of friendship bracelets;{{Cite web |last=Beehler |first=Kiah |date=2019-10-04 |title=Exploring the role of kandi in our scene today (Opinion) |url=https://www.dancemusicnw.com/exploring-kandi-modern-scene-opinion/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Dance Music NW |language=en-US}} friendship bracelets are often handmade and exchanged to commemorate a friendship, like kandi bracelets.
This same style of bracelets, but under the more general name of "Friendship bracelets" have been traded at Taylor Swift shows in the 2020s. This brought the popularity of these bracelets to a wider audience of younger fans.
PLUR and trading
The PLUR handshake is done when exchanging kandi bracelets, with each element of the acronym represented by a step.{{Cite web |last=iHeartRaves |title=How to Trade Kandi at a Rave |url=https://www.iheartraves.com/blogs/post/how-to-trade-kandi-at-a-rave |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=iHeartRaves |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=kkussman |title=PLUR Handshake and the Exchanging of Kandi – Rave Culture {{!}} USC Digital Folklore Archives |date=17 May 2020 |url=http://folklore.usc.edu/plur-handshake-and-the-exchanging-of-kandi-rave-culture/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The Culture Behind Kandi {{!}} Kevin Taylor |url=https://sites.psu.edu/kzt5196english/2015/09/17/the-culture-behind-kandi/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=sites.psu.edu}} Kandi bracelets kept on the right arm are available to trade, while those on the left arm are not.{{Cite web |last=Tessene |first=Jessica |date=2018-03-25 |title=Kandi Etiquette: The Guide to Trading for First Timers |url=https://edmidentity.com/2018/03/25/kandi-etiquette-trading-guide/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=EDM Identity |language=en-US}} Sometimes, the words are said as the gestures are done:{{Cite web |last=T |first=Nate |date=2022-04-25 |title=What is Kandi? How do You Trade Them at Raves? |url=https://www.deepinthemix.com/what-is-kandi/ |access-date=2023-02-08 |language=en-US}}
- "Peace": A peace sign is made, and the two fingertips are each touched to each other.
- "Love": Half of a hand heart is made by each party, with the two combining to form a single heart.
- "Unity": Hands are clasped together, as in a high five.
- "Respect": Fingers are clasped together. Kandi bracelets are, one at a time, moved to the other party's hand, using the free arm.
Often, the PLUR handshake is followed by a hug.{{Cite web |last=Packs |first=Lunchbox |title=What is PLUR? |url=https://www.lunchboxpacks.com/blogs/music/what-is-plur |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Lunchbox Packs |language=en}}
Terminology
Kandi bracelets have kandi-specific terms to describe them. Stitch is an umbrella term regarding the specific types of kandi; the three most common stitches are multistitch (even tubular peyote stitch), flat peyote stitch (even and odd), and x base. Cuffs are any form of kandi bracelet that uses multiple rows of beads.