PATRIA JULY: VAN GRASPERK TOT GLORIE

Christinet Zaal

@christinetzaal

English follows Afrikaans

Patria July, een van die grootste studentefeeste in Potchefstroom, vier in 2024 sy tiende bestaansjaar. Patria July sal op 13 Julie by Snowflake plaasvind.

“Dit het alles op ons grasperk begin, en nou breek ons jaar na jaar bywoningsrekords,” het Pietie Vogel, Patria se Media en Kommunikasie Huiskomiteelid (HK), wat Patria July as interne portefeulje het, met ‘n glimlag vertel. “Dis nou al tien jaar van Patria July, en elke jaar word dit net groter en groter,” het hy verduidelik.

Volgens Vogel, was die eerste Patria July op hul grasperk gehou: “Dit was ‘n klein byeenkoms, omtrent net ouens van die koshuis was daar.” Patria July het begin as ‘n fondsinsamelingsprojek vir die koshuis, maar het deur die afgelope tien jaar gegroei tot baie meer: ‘n sametrekking van duisende studente.

Na die derde Patria July het die grasperk te klein geword, en die besluit is toe gemaak om Snowflake toe te skuif. Bywoningsgetalle het gestyg van ‘n skamele 200 na 3000. Snowflake was ‘n venue wat die groter getalle kon akkommodeer.

“Oom Albert Bothma van Snowflake help ons elke jaar baie met die logistiek en al die veiligheidsmaatreëls. Verder het ek ‘n span wat uit verskillende jaargroepe bestaan, meestal seniors, wat my help met die reëlings. Ek is baie bevoorreg om verlede jaar se Patria July organiseerder in my span te hê. Hy help my baie,” het Vogel gesê. Vogel is in beheer van die Patria July reëlings, tesame met sy span en HK-groep.

“Ons begin so vroeg as moontlik met al die reëlings. Ons het al Desember begin met borge soek en om kunstenaars vas te maak. Die ander dele van Patria July, soos Miss July, kan wel eers nader aan die tyd gereël word,” het hy verduidelik.

Patria July sorg jaar na jaar vir baie opwinding onder studente. ‘n Kenmerkende aspek van die fees is die perdresies. Volgens Vogel kom dit van die eerste Patria July al saarn: “Patria July is eintlik gebaseer op Durban July, en dis waar die perdresies vandaan kom.”

Die perdresies vind reeds die middag van Patria July plaas. Eerstejaars van verskillende gange kompeteer teen mekaar in ‘n resies waar die een op die ander se rug spring. Die “perde” en “jockeys” hardloop dan om ‘n baan, en dit sorg vir hope vermaak en sportmangees.

Volgens Vogel kom die Miss July kompetisie ook al van vroeër jare saam. “Miss July is nie soos ander skoonheidskompetisies waar deelnemers vir hulself of net onder hul eie naam deelneem nie. Dis baie groter as dit. Hulle hele koshuis daag op en daar is ‘n baie groot ondersteuningsnetwerk. Hulle doen dit nie alleen nie,” het hy vertel.

“Ek probeer om hierdie jaar se Miss July bietjie anders te benader. Ek wil hê dit moet meer van ‘n journey wees,” het Vogel verduidelik. Hulle het reeds met verwelkomingsaksies begin en die dames is al verskeie kanse gegee om mekaar te leer ken.

Miss July speel ‘n belangrike rol vir die koshuis, aangesien sy ‘n ambassadeur is. Vogel het verduidelik dat die gekose Miss July baie ondersteuning bied in terme van bemarking, en dat sy na belangrike koshuisgeleenthede uitgenooi word. Sy ondersteun ook die volgende termyn se deelnemers waar nodig.

Patria July verenig verder die Old Boys en huidige inwoners op ‘n unieke manier. Vir die 10-jaar vieringe het Vogel na verskeie oud-inwoners uitgereik. Die HK-groep wat die eerste Patria July gereël het, sowel as die vorige Miss July’s, is op vanjaar se gastelys.

“Na tien jaar is Patria July groter as ooit, en die mense kan uitsien na hope vermaak, baie kunstenaars en ‘n aand om te onthou,” het Vogel gesê.

Kaartjies word tans teen R220 verkoop. Kaartjies kan by Patria self gekoop word, of by die ambassadeurs, wie se details op Patria se Instagramblad beskikbaar is. ‘n EFT- opsie is ook beskikbaar. Verder beoog Patria om ook verkope by verskeie dameskoshuise reël.

ENGLISH

Patria July, one of the biggest student festivals in Potchefstroom, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Patria July will take place on 13 July at Snowflake.

“Everything started on our lawn, and now we’re breaking attendance records every year,” said Pietie Vogel, Patria’s Media and Communication House Committee (HC) member, who has Patria July as an internal portfolio, with a smile. “It has been ten years of Patria July, and every year it just gets bigger and bigger,” he explained.

According to Vogel, the first Patria July was held on the lawn in front of their residence, “It was just a small gathering, basically just guys from the residence were there.” Patria July started as a fundraiser for the residence, but has grown to be so much more in the past ten years. It is a gathering of thousands of students.

The lawn eventually became too small after the third Patria July, and the decision was made to move to Snowflake. Attendance numbers grew from a mere 200 to 3000. Snowflake was a venue that could accommodate these bigger numbers.

“Albert Bothma from Snowflake helps us with the logistics and safety regulations every year. I also have a team consisting of different year groups, mainly seniors, who help me with everything. I am very privileged to have the organiser of last year’s Patria July in my team. He helps me a lot,” said Vogel. Vogel is responsible for the Patria July arrangements together with his team and HC-group.

“We start organising as early as possible. We started looking for sponsors in December and started booking artists. The other parts of Patria July, like Miss July, can only be organised closer to the time, however,” he explained.

Patria July creates a lot of excitement every year. An iconic aspect of this student festival is the horse races. According to Vogel, this event has taken place every year since the beginning of Patria July. “Patria July is actually based on Durban July, and that is where the horse races come from,” Vogel mentioned.

The horse races take place the afternoon of Patria July. First years of different corridors compete against each other in a race where one jumps on the other’s back. The “horses” and “jockeys” then run around a course. This provides a lot of entertainment and sportsmanship.

According to Vogel, the Miss July competition has also been occurring since the early days of Patria July. “Miss July isn’t like other pageants where contestants take part for themselves or only under their own names. It’s a lot bigger than that. Their whole residence shows up and there is a big support system. They don’t do it alone,” explained Vogel. “I am trying to approach this year’s Miss July a bit differently, I want it to be more of a journey,” he mentions. They have already organised welcoming ceremonies and given the ladies a chance to get to know one another.

Miss July plays an important role to the residence, as she is in ambassador. Vogel explained that the crowned Miss July provides a lot of support in terms of marketing, and that she gets invited to important residence activities. She also supports the next term’s contestants where needed.

Patria July unites the Old Boys and current residents in a unique way. For the ten year celebrations, Vogel reached out to various alumni. The HC group that organised the first Patria July, as well as previous Miss July’s are on the guest list this year.

“After ten years, Patria July is bigger than ever. The people can look forward to entertainment, lots of artists and a night to remember,” Vogel added.

Tickets are currently selling for R220. Tickets can be bought at Patria, or from the ambassadors, whose details are available on Patria’s Instagram page. An EFT option is also available. Patria also plans on organising ticket sales at various ladies’ residences.