Kohima: Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday inaugurated the first-ever Mon edition of the International Hornbill Festival at the Konyak Heritage Complex in Nagaland’s Mon town.
The three-day event marks the first time the state government has formally extended the Hornbill Festival beyond its primary venue at Kisama.
The inauguration coincided with the eighth day of the 26th Hornbill Festival at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, where a vibrant “Cultural Connect” programme was held at Unity Plaza.
Shekhawat attended the Mon event virtually as the guest of honour, while Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton, and several other dignitaries were present in person at the extended festival site.
The Konyak community—renowned for its Anghship (kingship) governance system and craftsmanship in gun-making, pottery, and beadwork—presented a rich display of traditional music, dance and ritual performances during the inaugural programme.
In his address, Shekhawat congratulated the organisers and said the Hornbill Festival has evolved into “a global window” showcasing Naga identity through its living expressions of song, dance and culture.
Chief Minister Rio thanked participating troupes and said the Konyak Heritage Complex would soon host year-round cultural activities. Highlighting the community’s ingenuity, he also informed that the third and final draft on the Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) demand of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) has been submitted to the Centre after detailed deliberations with the state cabinet. He expressed hope for a positive response from the Union government.
Rio later inaugurated the Traditional Cuisine and Artists’ Corner and visited the Angh Museum and departmental exhibition stalls.
The Mon edition featured cultural troupes from Konyak villages, other Naga tribes, and neighbouring states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Indigenous games under the “Heritage Challenge” theme included rice pounding, rice husking, and fire-making competitions.
The programme began with a traditional blessing, followed by the ceremonial heralding of the festival with trumpets, muzzle-loading gunfire, and the beating of the gong by the chief minister.
Meanwhile, at Kisama, day eight of the Hornbill Festival showcased a packed line-up of cultural presentations by various Naga tribes, featuring traditional dances, folk songs, games and ritual displays. The performances drew an enthusiastic response from visitors.
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With two days of festivities remaining, the festival has recorded a cumulative footfall of 1,38,590 visitors since December 1. This includes 2,028 foreign tourists, 41,160 domestic tourists and 1,13,685 local attendees. Sunday saw the highest single-day turnout so far, with 24,923 visitors, including 186 foreigners.
Last year’s 25th edition of the festival recorded more than two lakh visitors.
