The History Behind Raves & Kandi Beads

Raves have long been a mainstay of youth culture. They started in the 80s when scores of young partiers gathered in warehouses to dance and to be together. This continued into the 90s when the raver culture really took off in the U.S. The rave is a dance party that has been organized virtually anywhere. While they began in warehouses, they are often now held in the woods, in nightclubs, in private homes, or even in caves. Virtually any public or private space with enough room for dancers and a DJ can be used for these gatherings. 

Every rave needs a DJ, though a few will feature live music being played. The electronic dance music that is played at these dance parties comes from a number of different musical genres. These include house, techno, dubstep, hardcore, and more. There may also be other entertainment, including fire dancers or other spectacular acts to entertain the crowd. A strong sound system is needed to keep the music pumping loudly and continuously. Often, large subwoofers are used in order to give the music a deep level of bass. In addition, there is often a light system that projects a laser show or projected images, for the dancers. Some raves also feature fog machines and other visual effects. 

Raves can be virtually any size. While the club-sized rave is perhaps most common, there are also much smaller raves held on private property. There are also enormous raves that are festivals in themselves. These often have multiple areas to dance and even multiple DJs. Raves generally go on throughout the night, and they may last for 24 hours or more.

Raver Fashion

It was fashionable then to wear huge, flowing pants that were easier to dance in in the hot, crowded warehouses. However, that aesthetic has evolved over time. The culture of the rave has now evolved into having raves in a variety of places, and they don't require the loose clothing they did in the beginning. It's common at today's raves to wear tight, spandex clothing that is stretchy and easy to move in. Bikini tops and spandex bottoms are common sights at raves, as they are comfortable and allow for dancing in close quarters. Bright colors are always appreciated, as is fun makeup with glowing elements. 

No rave these days takes place without plenty of kandi. These beads are used to make bracelets, necklaces, masks, and other accessories. These colorful beads are used with abandon, with many ravers wearing many strings of them to stand out as well as to share. Sharing kandi accessories is a great way to make friends at a rave as well as to make sure that everyone is included. It goes with the main uniting idea of PLUR.

PLUR

Standing for peace, love, unity, and respect, this term is now almost synonymous with raves. Created by Frankie Bones in 1990, the term was used to publicize raves, and it soon spread for its positive message. It seeks to unify rave goers and to create from them a community of people who love to be together. With everyone included and everyone respecting those around them, the rave can be an almost spiritual experience for many rave-goers. 

The PLUR philosophy is one that many rave dancers adopt in their personal life as well as applying its principles to participating in a rave. It keeps ravers knowing exactly how to act at a rave as well as how to relate to the other dancers there. The concept of PLUR is a tribal one, and the philosophy has spread internationally. 

The peace portion of the philosophy means keeping positive emotions and avoiding any conflicts. The love portion means wishing other goodwill and to spread love to others. This is often done through hugging and other intimate gestures. The unity portion means that ravers should welcome everyone into the rave community even if there are a lot of personal differences between them. The respect portion means not judging others and treating them with tolerance. It's about staying sensitive to others' feelings and being accepting of everyone. 

Kandi Beads

Kandi bracelets are a staple of raves, and they help the rave-goers express PLUR to one another. Each kandi bracelet is made by hand, and it can be traded with others or become gifts for other dancers. While these beads started out as a code to let rave-goers know that someone had drugs to sell, the message behind kandi bracelets has completely changed. There is a special, four-part handshake that is used to express PLUR, and during the last step of that handshake, two people's hands are entwined, and a bracelet is shared between them. Then, there is a hug. This process allows people to spread their love throughout the crowd and to connect with a wide range of people. 

High Quality and Ethically Sourced Beads and Accessories

If you are interested in making kandi accessories, such as bracelets, masks, belts, and more, there are kandi beads available from Woman Shops World that are perfect for making your creations.