The Hornbill Festival of Nagaland is one of the biggest cultural extravaganzas in the North East. It is a weeklong event held every year from Dec1 to 10 in Nagaland. The Hornbill Festival is a festival to revive, protect, sustain and promote the richness of the Naga heritage and traditions.

Hornbill Festival is a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the Nagas. During the Hornbill Festival, all the Naga tribes come together for a weeklong celebration of their cultural plight. It is a time where all these tribes gather up to a showcase their age old traditions and come closer to knowing each other. The main events of the Hornbill Festival take place at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 10 kms from Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland. Traditional Naga huts and Morungs (Boy's dormitories) typical to each of the Naga tribes are built and erected in a way that closely resembles their traditional euphoria on a small hillock in Kasima. The Place itself is scenic and mystical, and the festival is simply epic!

Hornbill Festival, named after the globally respected bird, the Hornbill Festival organised by the State Tourism and art & Culture Department showcases a melange of cultural displays under one roof. All the tribes of Nagaland take part in this festival. The festival aims to restore and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions.

The festival is celebrated with vigor and gusto amid traditional arts, dances, folk songs, and games. There are also a lot of handicrafts stalls and rice beer to indulge in. After dusk, the main attraction is the Night Curnival.

The Konyaks Tribe Who Live In The Mon District Celebrate The Aoleang Festival In The First Week Of April For Six Days. The Festival Is Celebrated After Sowing. The Festival Is Observed To Seek Blessings Of Lord "yongwan" For A Good Harvest. The Six Days Of The Festival Are Known By Different Names Such As: (1) Hoi Lai Yah Nyih (2) Yin Mak Pho Nyih (3) Yin Mok Sheh Nhih (4) Lingnyu Nyih (5) Lingha Nyih And (6) Lingshan Nyih. During The Festival, Young And Old Alike Dress In Traditional Attire With Feathers In Their Head And Perform Traditional Dance And Sing Folklore.

Angamis, A Tribe Of Nagaland Celebrate Sekrenyi, A 10 Day Long Festival In February. The Festival Starts On The 25th Day Of The Angami Month Of "kezei". Sekrenyi Is Also Known As "phousnyi". On The Eve Of The Festival, The Village Well Is Thoroughly Cleaned For The Elders Of The Village To Take Bath. No One Is Allowed To Draw Water After The Well Is Cleaned. Two Youth Are Also Posted To Guard The Well. On The First Day Of The Festival The Elders Take The Ceremonial Bath In The Well. Cleaning Of The Well Symbolises The Cleaning Away Of The Sins Or Misfortunes. On The Day Of The Festival, Men Wear Two New Shawls, The White Mhoushu And The Black Lohe And Sprinkle Water On Right Arm, Breast And Knees. This Ritual Of Sprinkling Water Is Known As "dzuseva" And Is Believed To Wash Away All The Past Sins. On Returning Home After The Bath, A Cock Is Strangled With Bare Hands. It Is Considered As A Good Omen If The Right Leg Of The Cock Falls Down First. The Cock Is Then Hung Outside The Home, Which Is Then Inspected By The Elders Of The Village. It Is From The Fourth Day That The Merriment Begins Which Lasts For Three Days. Young People Sing And Dance Throughout The Day During Which Rice Beer And Meat Is Served. People Go On Hunting On The Seventh Day Of The Festival And On The Eighth Day Competitions Such As Gate Pulling Or Bridge Pulling Is Held When People From Nearby Villages Also Participate. Agriculture Related Work Begins After The End Of The Festivities. An Important Ritual Of The Festival Is Few Drops Of Rice Water Is Taken From A Jug Called As Zumbo And Put Into The Leaves. This Is Then Placed At Three Main Posts Of The House By The Lady Of The House.

The Ao Tribe Observe The Festival From 1- 3 Of May After Sowing Of Seeds For Three Days. Bon Fire, Known As Sangpangtu Is Prepared And Men And Women Dressed In Their Traditional Attire And Jewellery Sit Around The Bon Fire. Pigs And Cows Reared Through The Year Are Slaughtered And The Meat Is Served Along With Rice Beer And Wine To Men. This Festival Is Strictly Celebrated By The Villagers Of Ao Tribe. Before The Start Of The Festival, The Village Gates Are Closed And Entry And Exit Of People Not Belonging To The Village Is Restricted. Traditional Song And Dances Mark The Celebrations. As Part Of The Festivities, Tug Of War Is Held Between Men And Women. The Festival Is Celebrated In Mokokchung District, The Home Of Ao Tribe.

Ao Tribes Celebrate The Festival During 1-3 August Before The Harvest. Prior To The Beginning Of The Festival, The Village Head Will Declare The Village As Closed. The Entry And Exit Into The Village Is Guarded By The Villagers. This Is An Occasion Of Thanksgiving To The Almighty For Giving A Good Crop. Young Men And Women Dress In Their Traditional Finery And Indulge In Fun And Frolic. On This Occasion, Tug Of War Between Men And Women Draws People From All Over The Village.

This Is An Important Festival Of The Chakhesang Tribe. The Festival Is Observed On 6th May For Four Days. On The Day Of The Festival, The Village Priest Kills The First Cock That Crowed In The Morning. Men Take Bath In A Place Designated For Bathing And Dress In New Clothes. After The Bath, Prayers Are Offered To The Almighty Seeking Peace, Prosperity, Good Health And Harvest. During The Festival, Only The Best Male Domesticated Animals Are Slaughtered. New Wine Will Be Prepared. All The Family Members Enjoy The Meat And Other Delicacies Prepared For The Festival. Games, Dance And Other Competitions Are Organised Between Various Groups. At The End Of The Festival, The Articles Used In Merry Making Will Be Stored Away Till Next Year. Celebrations Of Any Kind Are Forbidden After The Festival.

The 16 Main Tribes Of Nagaland Are Angami, Ao, Chakhesang, Chang, Dimasa Kachari, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Kuki, Lotha, Phom, Pochury, Rengma, Sangtam, Sumi, Yimchunger, And Zeliang. The Angamis, Aos, Konyaks, Lothas, And Sumis Are The Largest Naga Tribes; There Are Several Smaller Tribes As Well (see List Of Naga Tribes). Tribe And Clan Traditions And Loyalties Play An Important Part In The Life Of Nagas. Weaving Is A Traditional Art Handed Down Through Generations In Nagaland. Each Of The Tribe Has Unique Designs And Colours, Producing Shawls, Shoulder Bags, Decorative Spears, Table Mats, Wood Carvings, And Bamboo Works. Among Many Tribes The Design Of The Shawl Denotes The Social Status Of The Wearer. Some Of The More Known Shawls Include Tsungkotepsu And Rongsu Of The Ao Tribe; Sutam, Ethasu, Longpensu Of The Lothas; Supong Of The Sangtams, Rongkhim And Tsungrem Khim Of The Yimchungers; The Angami Lohe Shawls With Thick Embroidered Animal Motifs Etc. Folk Songs And Dances Are Essential Ingredients Of The Traditional Naga Culture. The Oral Tradition Is Kept Alive Through Folk Tales And Songs. Naga Folks Songs Are Both Romantic And Historical, With Songs Narrating Entire Stories Of Famous Ancestors And Incidents. There Are Also Seasonal Songs Which Describe Activities Done In An Agricultural Season. Tribal Dances Of The Nagas Give An Insight Into The Inborn Naga Reticence Of The People. War Dances And Other Dances Belonging To Distinctive Naga Tribes Are A Major Art Form In Nagaland.

Nagaland Is Home To The Bhut Jolokia Or Ghost Pepper, One Of The Hottest Chilis In The World At 855,000 Shu On The Scoville Scale. All The Tribes Of Nagaland Have Their Own Cuisine, And They Use A Lot Of Meat, Fish, And Fermented Products In Their Dishes. However, The State Dish Is Smoked Pork Cooked With Fermented Soya Bean. Naga Dishes Use A Lot Of Locally Grown Herbs, Ghost Peppers, Ginger And Garlic. Famous Dishes Include Snails Cooked With Pork And Silk Worm Larvae, Which Is An Expensive Delicacy Of The State. Galho Is A Vegetarian Porridge Cooked With Rice, Leaves And Condiments. Drinks Include Zutho And Thutse, Beers Made With Sticky Rice.

Wood Craft, Drinking Vessel Cane Is A Material Which They Use To Make Many Things Like Sofa, Chairs, Baskets, And Storage Materials Because It Is Soft And Easy To Handle. The Baskets And Storage Materials Are Made By Weaving Canes Which Looks Very Sophisticated And The Maze-like Weaving Done Is Really Very Tedious Process. Some Of The Baskets Made Are Not Dyed While Some Baskets Are Made With Canes Dyed In Different Colours. The Storage Materials And Baskets Are Made In Various Shapes And Sizes And Are Apt For Daily Uses.

Bamboo Baskets Wood Carvings By Naga Tribes Are Wonderful, Works Like These Are Rarely Found These Days. They Use Simple Tools To Make Fine Carvings On The Wooden Materials And Make Vases, Bowls And Cups. Wood Crafting Once Was A Very Important Source Of Income Of The Naga People, So It Is Natural That They Are Very Good In This Area. These Wooden Crafts Can Be Used For Decoration Purpose; A Wooden Vase In Our Home Can Bring An Ethnic Touch.

Weaving Naga Bags We Have Already Said About How The Famous Naga Shawls Are Weaved And It Is A Very Important Skill Among All The Naga Tribes. Apart From The Shawls, They Also Weave To Make Handbags And Jackets. For This Purpose, The Popular Loin Loom Was Used By The Weavers, A Technique In Which The Naga Tribes Excel. As The Time Has Passed, The Fly Shuttle Loom However Has Become Very Popular Among The Weavers. The Decorations Or The Patterns Used For Making The Bags And The Other Things From One Tribe To Another; However Each Tribe Draw Cues From Their Own Traditions. Earlier Natural Dyes Were Used Which Has Been Replaced By The Artificial Colours. Cowrie Shells And Beads Were Used To Describe The Economical Status Of The Person Who Carried The Bags, Now These Are Added To The Handlooms For The Purpose Of Decoration Only.