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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 17 (EMN): Nagaland is set to celebrate the 23rd edition of the Hornbill Festival in a grand and different manner after being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Oting killing incident in the last two editions.
Dubbed as the Festival of Festivals, the Hornbill Festival is celebrated every year from December 1 to the 10th, and has become a major tourist attraction over the years.
Advisor of Tourism, Art and Culture, H Khehovi Yeputhomi said during a coordination meeting with Kohima-based tribal hohos at the Directorate of Tourism, Kohima on Monday that the Tourism department is inviting guests from outside the state and other countries as well.
There were no representatives from eastern Nagaland in the meeting.
“Due to the pandemic, the festival could not be celebrated in 2020 and the unfortunate incident in 2021 halted the celebration mid-way. However, the government is trying to celebrate the Hornbill Festival in a grand manner and with a difference this year,” he said, adding that they are expecting a lot of visitors this year.
The 23rd edition of the Hornbill Festival will be the last one before the state assembly election and therefore the department is planning to celebrate it in a grand manner.
‘There are a total of 17 morungs representing the 17 tribes at Kisama. But this year, Tikhir tribe morung will be added, taking the total tribes to 18,’ he informed.
He also said that tourists are ‘not impressed’ with the ‘permanent-structured morungs’ and advised tribes for a ‘thatch finishing’. He called upon the tribes to start the preparations at Kisama.
‘Start the work early and start maintaining the morung; keep activities going ahead of the festival,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Rengma and Pochury communities have already started the renovation work of their morungs at Kisama, it was informed.
A total of INR 1.50 lakh will be given to each tribe to maintain their morungs as well as construct attached toilets.
On the declaration made by the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) that the seven tribes of eastern Nagaland would not participate in the upcoming Hornbill Festival, he declined to comment, saying that a decision has to be taken by the state government.
‘Let us not make this a big issue,’ he said, adding that the department has not met them (ENPO) yet with regard to the festival and would do so in the coming days.
Joint Director of Tourism, Veyielo Duolo, informed that through the Ministry of External Affairs, about five countries from South Asia are expected to participate in the festival this year. As for the ENPO, he said ‘if at all they do not turn up, others should not be discouraged and go ahead with the festival’.
He expressed hope that “good sense” will prevail and they will join the celebration as it is ‘not a political issue’.
It may be mentioned that the ENPO had resolved at its central executive council (CEC) meeting held on October 14 at Tuensang not to participate in the upcoming Hornbill Festival 2022 at Kisama citing the “hardships faced by participants” from the region every year.
The apex body of the region, however, said that it would request the state government, through the Eastern Nagaland Legislature Union (ENLU), to promote mini Hornbill Festival of the respective tribes.
A member representing the Chakhesang community suggested the Tourism department come up with a clear-cut policy on whether the morungs should be permanent or a temporary structure. He also highlighted the plight of the cultural troupes in the absence of an attached toilet and recommended constructing lavatory facilities, to which the department took note of and consented to building bio-toilets.
A representative from the Lotha Hoho Kohima observed that constructing a temporary structure (morung) every year is ‘laborious, expensive and procuring materials is also difficult’. Therefore, the community went ahead with a permanent structure.
A member from the Ao Union in Kohima suggested focusing more on tradition rather than bringing in many things that dilutes the origin. He also pointed out that there is a wide gap in the treatment of foreign and domestic tourists by the locals, and suggested giving more focus on domestic instead of international tourists.