The Royal Stilt Troupe of Merchtem (Belgium) attended the Hue Festival for the 5th time

Hue Festival 2024 promises to be more exciting than ever when welcoming the return of the Royal Merchtem stilt troupe from Belgium.

Photo caption — The Royal Merchtem stilt walkers perform at the Ypres Cat Procession Festival.

According to a VNA reporter in Belgium, the Merchtem stilt troupe is no stranger to the audience of the Hue Festival. This will be the fifth time the troupe has participated in this festival, bringing unique and colorful performances to tourists and locals on the streets. In each participation, they bring impressive stilt performances, combining skillful techniques and sophisticated performing arts. The soaring stilts, graceful movements in the air and colorful costumes have left a deep impression on the audience. Participating in this Hue Festival, the Merchtem stilt troupe consists of 47 members. Many of them have been present at previous festivals, but some are attending this festival for the first time, so they are very excited. The amateur stilt artists consider this not only an opportunity to perform but also an occasion to exchange culture, connect with international friends and explore the beauty of Hue city.

Johan Vrijders, who attended the Hue Festival for the first time, said he was very excited about this trip. He asked for 10 days off to join the troupe. For him, performing at the Hue Festival with his colleagues was a great honor. Roger Daelemans, head of the troupe, confided: "We are very happy to return to Hue, which has become a special part of the troupe's performance journey." Other members of the troupe such as Frans Schelkens and Marc Bauwers, who have performed at the Hue Festival many times, expressed their deep impressions of this city with the exciting feeling of walking on the tree-lined streets. The people of Hue are very friendly and hospitable. They always smile to welcome visitors and are ready to help when needed. The Mertchem stilt walkers felt appreciated and loved when performing in Hue and received much encouragement and support from the audience.

The Royal Merchtem Stilt Walking Troupe will depart for Vietnam on June 4th. To prepare for this tour, starting in May, the troupe members have been busy repainting their stilts in yellow, red, and black – representing the colors of the Belgian flag. Each stilt is numbered according to each member's order to ensure easy identification and use. The 5-meter-long stilts are carefully packed in special metal containers and shipped to Hue by air. In addition to stilts, each member also brings a pair of wooden clogs. These are essential props for moving and performing on the towering stilts along the streets of Hue.

At the headquarters of the Royal Stilt Walking Troupe in Merchtem, the Vietnamese conical hat and the trophies certifying the troupe's participation in the Hue Festivals are proudly displayed in a glass case. Each trophy is a memorable memento, marking the troupe's efforts and successes throughout the Hue Festivals over the years.

But not only stopping at the festival, the Merchtem stilt walkers also want to help the people of Vietnam by teaching them to move on stilts in floodwaters. This is also the context in which the people of Merchtem learned to walk on stilts. Mr. Roger Daelemans said that in addition to performing on stilts, the group will participate in various tours, teaching Vietnamese teenagers how to walk on stilts in floodwaters. "This place often struggles with floods. We can teach them how to walk on stilts that they make themselves out of bamboo, so they can move in deep water," Mr. Roger Daelemans explained.

According to the head of the stilt walkers' troupe, the use of stilts in Merchtem originated from floods. Almost every year, the Molenbeek stream overflows its banks at the village of Langevelde. At that time, the villagers were completely isolated and could only travel to the center of Merchtem by stilts to keep their feet dry. This reality prompted the establishment of the Merchtem folk culture group in 1945, and today they are famous worldwide . For nearly 80 years, the Merchtem Royal Stilt Walkers' Troupe, with 150 members, has introduced the art of stilt walking to the world. Wearing traditional costumes in the colors of the Belgian flag and accompanied by a brass band, the Merchtem stilt walkers perform at many traditional cultural festivals in Belgium. The art of Merchtem stilt walking has also been included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Flanders region.

Hue Festival 2024 will take place from June 7 to 12. This is one of the largest international cultural festivals in Vietnam, attracting art troupes from all over the world. The participation of the Royal Merchtem Stilt Troupe is a special highlight for the festival. Stilt walking is a testament to the rich cultural heritage and enduring appeal of traditional performing arts in Belgium. Performances by Merchtem artists promise to bring visitors unique and unforgettable cultural experiences.