Download the article Get the 101 on rave culture (and what makes it so special)
This article was co-authored by wikiHow writer Eric McClure. Eric McClure is an editor at wikiHow, where he has been editing, researching, and creating content since 2019. A former educator and poet, his work has appeared in Cancerogenic Poetry, Shot Glass Journal, Prairie Margins, and The Rusty Nail. His digital anthology, The Internet, was also published in TL;DR Magazine. He was the recipient of the 2014 Paul Carroll Award for Outstanding Achievement in Creative Writing and was a featured reader in the Poetry Foundation’s Open Door Reading Series in 2015. Eric holds a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MA in Secondary Education from DePaul University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of all facts cited and confirming the authority of its sources. Find out more…
PLUR stands for peace, love, unity and respect. These four core values form the backbone of rave culture and are part of what makes going to an EDM rave such a powerful, moving experience for so many people. Dancing, rainbow colored clothes, bright lights and fun clothes wouldn’t be enough without PLUR bringing everyone together on the dance floor. In this article, we’ll break down what PLUR is, where it comes from, and how you can participate in the culture when it comes to the PLUR handshake—a special greeting and form of gift exchange common at raves.
The acronym PLUR stands for “peace”, “love”, “unity” and “respect”. These are the four beliefs that guide rave culture and inform how ravers should behave while dancing and socializing. They also inform the steps in the PLUR handshake, where ravers exchange Kandi bracelets with new friends and other dancers.
Wear Kandi wristbands if you want to participate. Kandi refers to the colorful beads or braided bracelets that ravers usually wear. These bracelets are often rainbow colored and are usually handmade. They are given at raves (or exchanged via the PLUR handshake) as symbols of friendship. At raves and EDM shows, exchanging Kandi via the PLUR handshake is a bit of a community ritual. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to, although it’s fun to collect and trade![2]
- If you are new to the scene, we strongly encourage participation in Kandi exchanges. It’s such a great way to meet new people and introduce yourself to potential friends.
- The PLUR handshake is also known as the PLUR kiss, the Kandi kiss, the raver’s squeeze, and the raver’s kiss.
- Most raves probably average around 50% when it comes to Kandi/PLUR handshake participation, so feel free to sit out if you’re still new to the scene.
Reciprocate any PLUR shake offers if it suits you. Depending on the rave, strangers, acquaintances, or new potential friends may approach you to engage in the PLUR handshake. You don’t have to participate, but anyone who tries to play with you offers to trade Kandi, and the whole point of Kandi is to give it and trade it with new friends, so consider reciprocating![3]
- If you don’t feel comfortable participating or don’t understand, that’s okay! Just say it. No one offering a PLUR handshake will be offended, especially if you let them know you’re an introvert or new to the scene.
- You are free to initiate any PLUR handshake yourself!
Connect your fingers of peace with another person. Make a “peace sign” with your index and middle fingers. Turn your palm towards the other person and bring the pads of your fingers together. Hold your fingers together for a moment.[4]
- If someone from a distance gives you the peace sign with their palm facing you, they are offering a PLUR handshake.
Make a sign of love by forming half a heart. Hold your index and middle fingers together as you move to your heart. Bring your middle, index, ring and little fingers together and bend them to form the top half of the heart. Bend your thumb under and touch the other person’s thumb to form the base of the heart. Hold this position for a moment.[5]
- You’ll often see ravers making the heart logo with close friends (or by themselves) in rave photos.
Interlock your fingers with another person to express unity. Keep your thumbs together, but spread the other four fingers. Intertwine your fingers with the other person’s fingers so that the webs of your fingers touch. Hold this position.[6]
Exchange Kandi bracelets with fingers still connected. Traditionally, this is where you would exchange Kandi bracelets with another person. Many ravers like to treat this part as a game where you try to maneuver your wrists in such a way that you can grab the bracelets without using your free hand, but feel free to just slide the bracelet onto their wrist with your free hand if you prefer.
Clap your fists or hug each other to end with mutual respect. The “respect” part of the shake is kind of up to you. Most ravers will pat or hug each other. This is also the place to introduce yourself if you haven’t already![7]
- PLUR handshakes are the perfect way to meet people and make new friends on the rave scene!
Categories: How to
Source: HIS Education