Yesterday marked the beginning of Conquest Week, the week of rivalry and tradition leading up to the football game between USC and crosstown rival UCLA. Among this weeks many traditions are the efforts to protect the statues of Tommy Trojan and Hecuba from potential vandalism. The Trojan Knights and USC Helenes are two campus organizations centered around school spirit and community service. This week they take on the responsibility of protecting the statues.
Here’s Natalia Osuna with the story.
Amid the cold and the stress of upcoming final projects and exams, a group of high-spirited Trojan Knights and Helenes sit and guard the duct-taped Tommy Trojan and bubble-wrapped Hecuba statues 24/7 throughout this conquest week. Sitting in a circle under a tent with sleeping bags, the Knights take shifts to ensure that the statue is always guarded by someone who will remain alert, even through all hours of the night.
Will Chambers is a senior philosophy, politics, and law major, and a member of the Trojan Knights.
WILL CHAMBERS: As official hosts of the University and Guardians of Tradition, this is one of our longstanding traditions we have to defend against the the the nasty folks from the campus across town. We have to make sure that all of our traditions, all of our landmarks, all of the things that we hold dear are defended against. And so really, it’s a pleasure for us to engage in this every year. It’s a pleasure for us. It’s a duty that that everyone really rises to.
In the village, yellow caution tape surrounds the statue of Hecuba as members of the USC Helenes gather around, doing homework, chatting and sharing snacks.
Elsie Bencke is a freshman studying philosophy, politics, and economics. She joined the Helenes this semester and today was proudly protecting the statue of Hecuba from the rivals, from the adversaries.
ELSIE BENCKE: From the Bruins. In case any Bruins want to come and try to deface our statue. We protect her.
With around 80 members in the Helenes, there are always people protecting the statue.
BENCKE: It’s kind of just like people like to be here, and you don’t have to, but we usually have more than five people here at once just because we enjoy hanging out.
Meanwhile back on campus, students and visitors passed by Hahn Plaza, taking pictures of the bizarre scene as the Knights guard Tommy Trojan, eating tater tots for breakfast.
CHAMBERS: One of the nice things is we’re fortunate enough to have a variety of different organizations provide food and other resources to us, whether they’re parent groups, whether they’re USC dining, shout out to EVK for breakfast this morning, whether it’s athletics and football coming out and supporting us.
The Conquest Week traditions come after a month of planning. The Helenes reserved and paid for their spot and got free food from restaurants in the Village. As a service and spirit organization, the Helenes give as much as they receive.
Emilee Leveque is a USC junior and the director of public relations for the Helenes. In addition to protecting Hecuba, they’re running a food drive and a clothing pop-up. Proceeds will benefit the unhoused population of South L.A.
EMILEE LEVEQUE: We’re setting up a bin today and going to label it so people are just free to drop off food whenever and then our clothing pop up is going to be on Wednesday. We’re going to be opening it up to anybody in the village or free to come by.
The Trojan Knights and Helenes also receive a lot of support from the university, whose Facilities Planning and Management staff are responsible for wrapping the statues.
Will Chambers of the Trojan Knights says they have a good relationship with the university.
CHAMBERS: We’ve been doing this now for literal decades. The university knows that they expected from us, helps us out by wrapping up the statues on campus and then we don’t have permits issued. The university just understands that it’s what we do and they’re happy to let us do it.
Shruthi Benkatachalam sits in the shade of Hecuba studying for an upcoming exam. She’s a junior who joined Helenes last fall and expresses gratitude for the campus security measures when it comes time to spend the night in the village.
SHRUTHI BENKATACHALAM: Usually the staff, like the CSC and DPS in the village know that we’re here for Hecuba. So they make sure to keep an eye on us. There’s usually extra security around that time.
This yearly tradition does more than protect USC’s property and boost school spirit. Emily Leveque says it also fosters connection between members of the Helenes.
LEVEQUE: I feel like this is like definitely the event of the fall that like really brings us together as an org.
As day turns to evening, the Helenes are prepared for the falling temperatures. Blankets cover the cots where they’ll be sleeping this week.
BENCKE: Definitely worried it’ll be chilly, but there’s no one I’d rather do it with than the Helenes.
As students anticipate the most important football game of the season, they can rest easy knowing the Knights and Helenes are defending USC’s mascots.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Natalia Osuna.