Preparations in full swing for Hornbill Festival

Kisama (Kohima), Nov 27: Nagaland is gearing up for the festive season this weekend with the onset of the Statehood Day Celebrations and the kick-off of the seven-day long Hornbill Festival from December one at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, about 12 kms from Kohima.

The Hornbill Festival is an annual tourism promotional event, organised by the state Tourism department, to showcase the traditional and cultural heritages in all their ethnicity, diversity and grandeur.

The festival is a tribute to the Hornbill, the most admired bird of the Nagas, for its alertness and grandeur.

This majestic bird is closely linked with the social and cultural life of the Nagas, as is evident in many tribal folklores, dances and songs.

The festival, started in 2000, is mainly designed to promote tourism as well as providing a platform to the Nagas to exchange and display their rich cultural and traditional heritage.

The festival also provides an opportunity to both domestic and international tourists to witness Naga traditional dances, music, arts, handloom and handicrafts and the overall lifestyle of various communities.

Besides other annual events, cultural troupes from the seven sister states in the Northeastern region will display their rich cultures and traditions throughout the festival.

Meanwhile, the state Tourism department was expecting at least 400 to 500 foreign tourists from across the world for the festival.

UNI