Hornbill Festival returns to traditional format, starts tomorrow
The 10-day cultural and tourism extravaganza annually begins at the start of December and coincides with Nagaland’s statehood day. The festival’s 2021 edition comprises around 700 separate events
This year’s edition of Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival, widely hailed as the “festival of festivals”, will be held in its traditional format, starting on December 1 after it was held virtually last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 10-day cultural and tourism extravaganza annually begins at the start of December and coincides with Nagaland’s statehood day. The festival’s 2021 edition comprises around 700 separate events.
The big event, which is supported by the state government, showcases the diverse Naga ethnicity through folk dances, traditional music, tribal rituals, indigenous games, local cuisine, handicraft, artwork and textiles.
Government officials said that although there is a fresh alert for the newly emerged Omicron variant of Covid-19, the festival will go ahead as planned.
“We’re all set to celebrate the 22nd edition of the festival. But everyone has to strictly follow the existing Covid-19 standard operating procedure of the Centre and the state government,” said MLA H Khehovi Yepthomi, who is also an adviser to Nagaland’s tourism and art and culture department.
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Yepthomi said all protocols will be maintained, and members of the 17 cultural troupes representing the tribes of Nagaland from all its districts have been fully vaccinated, among others taking part in the festival.
Diplomatic representatives from the US, Germany and Israel will be among the guests this year.
“The guests’ presence is significant. It shows how international the festival has become,” said Abu Metha, adviser to the chief minister of Nagaland.
More than 282,800 people visited the festival during the 20th edition in 2019, including over 3,000 foreign tourists and at least 55,500 domestic visitors.
The festival’s opening programme will be held at the traditional venue - the Naga Heritage Village Kisama, which is located 10km away from the capital Kohima.
