Namur stilt jousting is a 600-year-old tradition from Namur, Belgium where costumed people joust on stilts. Every year, on the third Sunday of September during the Walloon Festivals weekend, stilt walkers participate in a joust under the shadow of Saint Aubain Cathedral, often dressed as characters from history or folklore.
The Namur jousters are called "Les Echasseurs Namurois," and they are part of all the major Namur festivals. The term "échasseur" refers to the use of stilts. It corresponds to the word "échassier" in the dictionary. This is in reference to the Namur jousts which involve the use of stilts. This is not a fight, but a discipline that is performed in teams and aims to be respectful and friendly.
During a stilt joust, players attempt to knock all the opposition down. The stilt jousters are divided into two teams: the Mélans, with yellow and black stilts represent the old town, and the Avresses, with red and white stilts represent the new town and neighboring villages. As a welcome gift to distinguished visitors, Namurians joust on stilts.
Avresses compete against Mélans in the Namur jousts. Based on their history and by means of the use of colors, these companies represent the conflict between the suburbs and the center of Namur. The joust of the golden stilt is the most important event of the year. A crowd of 6,000 to 8,000 people gathers in front of the cathedral each year to support the fifty or so stilt walkers involved.
Tradition has it that the tradition of walking on stilts dates back to when the city was regularly flooded by the Meuse and Sambre rivers and the people walked around on stilts to keep themselves dry. Jousters range from 7 to 70 years old, and although historically all-male, in 2018 the association responsible for stilt jousting (echasseurs Namurois, in French) began training women and girls. This sport is a strong symbol of Namur, and is viewed as a factor of integration and cohesion by the city's inhabitants.
Today in Namur, Belgium, jousting on stilts is still practiced. In addition to being a unique sport, the stilt walkers also convey a rich, important history, linked to a remarkable regional setting. Hopefully, in the future, human courage, strength, and enthusiasm will make the new generation more open, welcoming, and curious about others' cultures.