Trawantel is considered one of the oldest stick dances in Western Europe. It is still performed in the Antwerp Kempen region, notably by the St. Sebastian’s Guild in Westerlo and Tongerlo. The RIETMA team went to witness this dance firsthand.
The RIETMA project, funded by Belgian Science Policy, brings together African and European cultural workers to explore issues of representation through music. Within this framework, the project partners focused on the Trawantel dance as performed in Westerlo, Belgium.