Stilt-walkers conquer the world
The ‘Koninklijke Steltenlopers van Merchtem’ (Royal Stilt-walkers of Merchtem) are in increasing demand across the world to perform as an attraction at special events. There is now even a suggestion that they should be recognised as part of our cultural world heritage by UNESCO.
When they were founded in 1945, nobody would have believed that the 'Koninklijke Steltenlopers van Merchtem’ would ever become a world-famous folklore group.
Nevertheless, over the past few decades, they have been admired in some 20 countries, even far beyond the borders of the European continent. The group has also been welcomed as a guest at spectacular festivals in the United States, Russia, China and Japan.
Later this year, the group will be performing in the United Arab Emirates, where they have been invited to attend as the top attraction for the festivities celebrating the national holiday on 2 December. Performances have already been scheduled for 2017 in Austria, Spain and Tunisia.
The UNESCO recognition of the ‘Koninklijke Steltenlopers van Merchtem’ as cultural world heritage is, for some, simply a question of time.
Stilt-walking harks back to days of old when the hamlet of Langeveld used to be flooded by a local stream each year and thus became cut off from the outside world; residents could then only reach the village of Merchtem on stilts.