Nagaland's tribes come together at Kisama Heritage Village for dance, music, crafts and food.
The story
- First held by the Nagaland government in 2000, to bring the Naga tribes together and show their heritage.
- Named after the hornbill, a bird that appears in the folklore of most of Nagaland's tribes.
- Each of the 16 officially recognised Naga tribes has its own morung, a traditional house, at Kisama Heritage Village.
What happens
- First day
Opening ceremony
The festival opens at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima.
- Every day
Tribal
Each Naga tribe hosts its own with dances, games, crafts and food.
- Evenings
Music and night bazaar
Concerts and a night carnival in Kohima town on select days.
- Last day
Closing
Final performances and farewells at Kisama.
Where it happens
What to eat
Pork smoked over the kitchen fire and cooked with axone, a fermented soybean. Strong and smoky.
Food stalls and the tribes' morong kitchens across the heritage village.
Curries with fermented bamboo shoot, and dishes with the Naga king chilli, one of the hottest in the world.
Most stalls. Ask for less chilli.
Boiled local greens, dal and different local rice, served with most meals.
Many stalls have them.
Fermented plum, gooseberry and black cherry juices, and fresh local fruit.
Stalls in and around the morongs.
Know before you go
- Evenings are cold, so pack warm layers.
- Book stays in Kohima early.
- Try smoked pork, and local rice beer.
Organised by
Government of Nagaland (Tourism and Art & Culture departments)