Hornbill festival and the Reconstructed Naga identity.

Hornbill festival is held to protect and revive the rich culture of Nagaland by dancing and
singing together dressed up in beautiful finery as a tribe. This henceforth brings the entire
tribe together hence fulfilling the purpose of this festival.
Now on the 20th year of its celebration it has attracted various tourists and travelers from the
region, mainland India and around the world. This festival acts as a window to showcase their
way of life and keep up with their ancestral traditions. Along with traditional dance, song,
food, wrestling, craft and archery, there is also the Naga chilli eating championship, Miss
Nagaland Contest, food courts, flower festival, kid’s carnival and a motor rally.
The date of the hornbill festival is based on two significant factors:
The festival is to celebrate Indian sisterhood. Nagaland was formed when the nobility of the
Nagaland Nationalist movement, i.e , the Nagaland People’s Convention (NPC) arrived at a
decision with the Government of India (GOI) in 1963 to provide them with houses. Thus
Nagaland was inaugurated as the 16Th state of the Indian Union on the 1ST of December 1963.
This is why Hornbill festival is chosen to be celebrated on the 1st of December every year to
rejoice this special occasion.
The second factor that made this festival possible was the treaty signed between the
Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (which is the largest
nationalist group) in 1997 which carved a neutral surrounding for peace and restoration.
The 19th edition of this festival witnesses a record of 2,69,811 visitors including over 3000
foreigners, 55,000 domestic tourists and over 2 lack locals.
Over 2.51 lack tourists had come for the hornbill festival in 2018 that was inaugurated by
Union Minister Rajnath Singh.
So the Nagas will remain united for as long as this festival is celebrated.

Hornbill Festival and the Commodification of Culture

As Hornbill festival is a 10 day celebration on a global level, it has given tourists the
opportunity to have a look at the rich heritage of all 16 tribes. The Chief Minister of
Nagaland T R Zeliang stated that the festival has gained this popularity despite its remoteness
and lack of proper infrastructure. And all this was possible only because of the collective
effort and struggles of all the stakeholders and contributors making this a grand success.
The dignitaries gracing the festival were the Union State Minister, Government of Odisha,
Government of Andra Pradesh., Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, etc.
To protect the identity of the many indigenous tribes of Nagaland, it is mandatory for all
tourists to obtain the Inner Line Permit (IPL). This permit can be obtained online as well.
Tourists say that 4-5 days is enough time to spend at a hornbill festival to get a good enough
flavor and overview of the tribal culture of Nagaland.
One of the main tribes to visit here are the Morungs. The young boys are recruited and got
together from the villages of Nagaland. Here they are thought the history and culture of the
tribe and are made to dance and perform folk songs. Folk tales are also recited to the tourists.
The girls and boys are dressed up in bright exorbitant colorful dresses.
Over here you can even converse with the tribal people of Nagaland. They are always ready
to have a nice relaxed conversation with anyone willing to talk to them. They are very
friendly people and answer all questions related to their attires and their day to day lifestyle
and also about their headhunting. Although they resilient when asked to take a picture with
them.
Since Nagaland is well known for its handmade items people buy a lot of souvenirs to take
home like Naga shawls, bamboo mugs, cane carpets, silk mekhela, handbags, baskets made
of cane, home décor items, ornaments, and other merchandises.

Conclusion

Although its unclear on who initiated the idea for the celebration of the Hornbill Festival, its
origins are now an urban legend. This unique 10 day festival is ended by the Unity Dance
danced around the bonfire to the tune of the traditional Naga howling and beats of drum log
by all the 16 tribes of Nagaland in the village of Kisama under Kohima district.
It began as an exercise to generate tourists and bring together different Naga tribes from all
over Nagaland has become a global event with a lot of varieties of activities. Its popularity
not only attracts people all over the globe, but it has also gained an international reputation
for tourists.