Festival of Festivals Hornbill Festival 2022 Begins Today

The festival of festivals, Hornbill Festival begins today. The ten-day extravaganza is undoubtedly a euphoric celebration of Nagaland’s rich culture and traditions. The 23rd Hornbill Festival 2022 will be held at Naga Heritage Village Kisama from December 1 to 10. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will grace the inaugural function as the Chief Guest. The fun begins today at 4 PM.

The start of the Festival today coincides with the Statehood Day of Nagaland. The state is celebrating its 60th Statehood Day today.

Prof Jagdish Mukhi, Governor of Nagaland will be the chief host while Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will be the host. H Khehovi Yeputhomi, Advisor Tourism and Art and Culture will be the festival host. Yekhiisii Tureng from Porba village of Phek district will be the tribal guest.

The inaugural function will be followed by cultural presentation entitled “This is Nagaland.” The festival is named after the state’s most admired and revered bird Hornbill.

What’s New in Hornbill Festival 2022?

People throng the festival for the food, a large spread of traditional cuisine is something that the festival is known for. Another highlight has been the sporting events and of course the dance and music performances. This time the organizers are planning to treat the festival goers to these new events — Hornbill Canoe Sprint, Hornbill Darts Master, Body Fitness, Lidi Kro U traditional, Naga Thali competition and traditional Shot Put. Can you ask for more?

Foreign Dignitaries Attending the Festival

Among the foreign delegates, Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain, Trade Commissioner for South Asia and British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, Alan Gemmel, and Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrel AO would attend the inaugural programme as honored Guests.
Ambassador of Bulgaria Eleonora Dimitrova, Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Hari Kumar, Director External Affairs, South Asia Office Rickitt, and President All India Football Federation Kalyan Chaubey would also be attending the festival as guests, Advisor for Tourism, Art and Culture Department, H Khehovi Yeputhomi said addressing the media earlier.

An amount of Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned to organize the Festival that has been a hit not just with the people of the state and the region but with foreign tourists too.

ENPO, USSC Boycotts Festival

The Festival begins amid the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organistion (ENPO) and the United Sangtam Students Conference (USSC) deciding to not participate in the Festival.

ENPO, the apex body of seven tribal organizations of Nagaland’s eastern districts — Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator, said that they would boycott the Festival with regard to their long pending demand for a separate state – Frontier Nagaland.

The apex students body of the eastern Naga tribes has barred any individual or group from representing the tribe in any manner including displaying of its traditional attires, items in any form at the Festival.

The Nagaland Cabinet in its meeting held on Monday, November 28, 2022, appealed to ENPO to reconsider its call to boycott the Festival. In a statement, the Nagaland Cabinet said that the grievances raised by ENPO reagarding participation of cultural troupes in the Hornbill Festival has been addressed and necessary provisions made. The Cabinet also said that the ENPO should reconsider its boycott call as Home Minister Amit Shah has already given December 3 as the date for the meeting to discuss their demand for a separate state.

The USSC, another student body of the eastern Naga tribes, too has barred any individual or group from representing the tribe in any manner including displaying of its traditional attires, items in any form at the Festival.