24th Hornbill Festival inaugurated at Naga Heritage Village 'Kisama'

The 24th edition of the Hornbill Festival in the north-eastern state of Nagaland has been inaugurated on 1 December 2023 at the Naga Heritage Village ‘Kisama’.

• The United States, Germany and Colombia are the partner countries for this year's festival and Assam has joined as the partner state.

About Hornbill Festival -

• The Hornbill Festival is organized by the State Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Nagaland every year on the state's foundation day (December 1, 1963).
• The Hornbill Festival was started in the 2000 year.
• Its objective is to introduce the Naga tribes to each other and to make the country and the world aware of the culture of the Naga society.
• More than 60 percent of the population of Nagaland is dependent on agriculture. That is why this festival also seems to revolve around agriculture, products, handicrafts, food, green music, dance etc.
• In this festival, traditional games of Nagas, their martial arts, dance, songs, music etc. are staged.
• The Hornbill bird inspired the name of the Hornbill festival. This bird is considered sacred in the Naga tribe and is also mentioned in the mythology of the Nagas.
• Hornbill festival, which is also called the Festival of festivals.

About Hornbill Bird -

• The hornbill is a bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, and Melanesia. It is also known as Dhanesh in India.
• About 9 species of hornbill are found in India; Some of which are - Indian Gray Hornbill (endemic to India), Malabar Gray Hornbill (endemic to the Western Ghats), Malabar Pied Hornbill (endemic to India and Sri Lanka), the widely found Great Hornbill (Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala State bird of) etc.
• Other hornbill species found in the north-eastern states of India are the rufous-necked hornbill, Austin brown hornbill, etc.
• The Narcondam species of hornbill bird is found in the Narcondam Islands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India.
• Poaching of the hornbill bird has made it endangered. The Government of India has run many programs for their conservation.
• Hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala.