Hornbill : The Unsung Festival of India
There are more festivals in India than there are days in a year. Every month brings a number of groups celebrating their cultures. Thanks to the mainstream media, we’re only supplied coverage and thus promotions of the conventional events. Many such aspects of the various North-East Indian cultures are consequently sidelined. The Hornbill Festival celebrated in Nagaland is one such rich representation of the marginalised Naga heritage and traditions, that doesn’t receive its due credit.
Hornbill Festival, also known as the ‘Festival of Festivals’, is named after the large and colourful Indian hornbill since it is a part of the folklore of almost all tribes of Nagaland, although it is not the state bird. The state is home to several tribes which have their own distinct festivals, though none have gained popularity like the Hornbill that first took place in the year 2000. It is held every year from 1st to 10th December in a village called Kisama, which is located at a distance of around 12 km from the capital, Kohima. The population largely depends on agriculture and therefore most of the festivals revolve around it. The Nagas consider their festivals sacred, making participation in these festivals a priority.
The 10 day long festival opens its 16 gates, that represent the 16 major tribes of Nagaland, who till recently were fierce warriors, to come together to showcase colourful performances, traditional arts and crafts, sports, food fairs, herbal medicine stalls and flower shows. The highlights of the festival include the grand display of cultural medley of songs and dances, fashion shows, contests like the Miss Nagaland beauty, traditional archery, Naga wrestling, indigenous games, parades and religious ceremonies. The exhibition of the Naga Morungs positively steals the show. The Morungs are wooden house-like structures with massive roofs made of dried grass and leaves, decorated with symbols and a nameplate at the entrance that announces the name of the tribe (Sangtam, Konyak, Angami and others) that the Morung belongs to. These Morungs are ordinarily used as community spaces where young boys are taught the history and culture of their tribe and village. They not only learn folk songs and dances but also folk tales and legends that will be passed on to the next generation. The boys master war techniques and become worthy Naga warriors by practising with their fellow Morung batch mates. It is in these Morungs that they learn to be worthy members of their community by gaining all essential life skills; abiding by their own traditional education system.
These Morungs during the festival are a centre to Naga cuisine, that serve delicacies from all the tribes. Flavoured curries, slow-cooked meat (especially pork), steamed brown rice and spicy Naga chilli chutneys leave the people enticed. The Morungs put on a beautiful display of handicrafts, bright coloured jewellery and hand-woven shawls with intricate designs. The natives at the festival are seen sporting their ancestral head gears made of bird feathers, ornaments made up of coral pieces, chunky bangles, artistic heavy bracelets and pendants and radiant clothing. There is never a dull moment and loads to explore in their fascinating customs. The tribes perform welcoming dances as a symbol of friendship and resilience through challenges. Some perform victory dances that signify a good harvest whereas some emulate the hornbill that helps them in felling trees for wood. The mood is further uplifted with a high energy bamboo dance, spreading a sense of togetherness amongst all tribes.
Before the Hornbill Festival, Nagaland received a nominal amount of tourism. The state was barely known for its rich cultural diversity, beautiful landscape and salturous climate, but rather as a conflict area with advisories as an unsafe travel destination. Moreover the inconvenience of the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for foreigners and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) for domestic travellers, made it burdensome for plenty. Since it is not possible to witness all ceremonies of the many tribes round their agrarian calendar, the Hornbill Festival becomes a beneficial common ground for not only bringing all the tribes of the state closer for greater cultural assimilation but also a notable large scale affair that brings in a great deal of revenue annually. This event to revive and protect the Naga culture received far-reaching attention that now brings lakhs of people to it.
As of 2019, over 2.39 lakh people attended the festival. Participation of such a large number of people has boosted the economy, promoted tourism and also motivated young start-up groups from across India to explore entrepreneurship and livelihood in this region. The availability of Restricted Area Permit (RAP) for foreigners and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) for domestic travellers is now much easier to access with online registration. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the Hornbill festival which brought the North-East region to national focus by announcing developmental programmes and benefits for the people in his speech on the festival ground.
The crowded event is termed as No-Plastic Zone, lending its hand to being one of the few eco-friendly entertainment sites. The festival leaves no stone unturned as it extends help with the required permits, accommodation for the tourists and the list of events on a set-up website. Unfortunately, the festival may be cancelled this year as a consequence of the Coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the nation. The mainstream media is yet to convey the glory of the Hornbill Festival to its actual magnitude but inquisitive travellers are making their way right to the spot. Ironically, even though the hornbill is almost extinct in Nagaland, owing to a hunting culture that is deeply ingrained, the flourishing popularity of the festival is here to stay!
