Royal Stiltwalkers of Merchtem

Cultural Heritage — Official Recognition

The Royal Stilts Walkers Merchtem are proudly included in the Flanders Inventory for Intangible Cultural Heritage. This recognition confirms the special value of stilts walking as living cultural heritage, something we and all of Merchtem are rightly proud of.

The announcement was made via a press release and marks an important milestone in preserving and promoting our rich tradition.

Application for Intangible Cultural Heritage

The first plans for recognition of the valuable heritage of stilts walking in Merchtem date back to 2009. During preparations for the very first edition of Merchtem on Stilts that year, the form about stilts walking was also completed for the website www.traditie.be. You can still view this form via histories.be.

The cultural importance of traditions and customs is protected in the same way both regionally and internationally. In Flanders, the government is responsible for culture and works with the Flanders Inventory. Inclusion in this inventory means not only that the cultural heritage is recognized as valuable but also that active efforts must be made to document, preserve, and pass it on to future generations. It is therefore a recognition but also a task to stimulate, research, and promote the heritage. The file must also be updated annually.

The current process began after an initial mention in the local press, among others available at goeiedag, and started in February 2017 with consultations between the association, the municipality, and LECA (the Rural Expertise Center for Everyday Culture). Together they established a heritage care working group that prepared the application file, in consultation with various members and stakeholders.