Photo Gallery: Potjie festival

Olivia Bragg|September 8, 2014

The+Harper+family+flash+their+custom+Potjie+shirts%2C+designed+and+ordered+by+Jessica.

The Harper family flash their custom Potjie shirts, designed and ordered by Jessica.

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Harper's family and friends practice their dance to "Los Slappie," a popular South African song, to entertain the judges as they tour the campsite.
Harper’s family and friends practice their dance to “Los Slappie,” a popular South African song, to entertain the judges as they tour the campsite.

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Harper's mother, Leanne, dances with family friend Monica Botha to "Lepellê", a South African song about spooning.
Harper’s mother, Leanne, dances with family friend Monica Botha to “Lepellê,” a South African song about spooning.

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The Harper family flash their custom Potjie shirts, designed and ordered by Jessica.
The Harper family flash their custom Potjie shirts, designed and ordered by Jessica.

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Families bring all sorts of activities for entertainment during downtime. Jessica's favorite activity was throwing the orange frisbee.
Families bring all sorts of activities for entertainment during downtime. Jessica’s favorite activity was throwing the orange frisbee.

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The iron pots, or potjies, are used to cook a South African stew submitted for judging.
The iron pots, or potjies, are used to cook a South African stew submitted for judging.

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From carrots to lamb, varying ingredients go into potjie.
From carrots to lamb, varying ingredients go into potjie.

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Jessica hangs a traditional South African mask to win the campsite decorating contest.
Jessica hangs a traditional South African mask to win the campsite decorating contest.

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"You can always tell the difference between children raised in South Africa or the U.S. because South African kids don't wear shoes," Jessica's mother, Leanne said.
“You can always tell the difference between children raised in South Africa or the U.S. because South African kids don’t wear shoes,” Jessica’s mother, Leanne said.

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All the potjie's submitted for competition lay on the tables for families to try. All the potjies were different ranging from a lamb potjie to a blackberry dessert potjie.
All the potjie’s submitted for competition lay on the tables for families to try. All the potjies were different ranging from a lamb potjie to a blackberry dessert potjie.

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The 10 and under children's group chew through five pieces of watermelon.
The 10 and under children’s group chew through five pieces of watermelon.

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Boervors, a dried meat similiar to beef jerky, and varying drinks were placed to welcome the judges to team MBA's campsite.
Boervors, a dried meat similiar to beef jerky, and various drinks were placed to welcome the judges to team MBA’s campsite.

[/vc_column_text][/item][/carousel][vc_column_text]The R.V. pulled onto the dirt road and wobbled along until it reached the campsite. A welcome sign in Afrikaans came into view and conversations filled the Harper family’s ears. The annual Potjie Festival had begun.

Every year,  junior Jessica Harper and her family take an R.V. to travel over Labor Day weekend along with 100 other South African families. These families from around the world congregated outside of Houston to celebrate South African culture. Potjie, or a stew cooked in an iron pot, is a traditional South African meal and the highlighted food of the festival. Aside from organized children’s activities and the awards ceremony, families chose how to spend their free time, and many socialized or ate traditional cuisine.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]