A winter voyage to Kisama - Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival merges the ancient with the new, serving a sensory buffet of tradition, bass, and bamboo amidst the mist.

North winds bite a little harder in early December, but the day-old fires at Kisama Heritage Village are never cold. The Hornbill Festival hums to life as the Angami women - ankle bells jangling - trade loaded glances with selfie-clutching twenty-somethings from Mumbai. This isn’t your average mela. Eleven days (December 1–10, 2025), 17 Naga tribes, countless dialects, one riotous patchwork of performances and potlucks.

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Daybreak Rituals and Unexpected Moments

Let's set the scene: The early morning is marked by the noisy parades and rooster crows. Greeted by joy and laughter, travellers arrive at a log-drum performance at dawn. They savor the hot bamboo shoot soup, cooked over a fire and flavored with fermented axone, poured into paper bowls.

Log Drum beating at the Hornbill Festival

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You would want to try your luck at the morungs - the thatched clan houses where warriors and weavers might pull you in for a cuppa zutho (the local rice beer). If you catch the Chang men brandishing spears beside sharp-tongued grandmothers haggling vegetables, count yourself lucky; those scenes ripple outside curated schedules.

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Folk, Fashion, Fusion - All Jam on One Stage

The “Festival of Festivals,” so-called, isn’t stuck on nostalgia. Sure, you’ll gawk at feathered headgear and vivid shawls, but don’t blink or you’ll miss the EDM raves and K-pop dance-offs that now share the arena, with crowds roaring on both sides. Enjoy activities like wrestling, archery games, Naga chilli eating contests, and rock band finals every afternoon.

The 2024 Hornbill Festival

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Feasting and Foraging

Snappy akhuni chutneys and bright wildflowers on sticky rice are among the many delicacies popular there. And the good news is - most stalls take cashless payments now. Vegetarian dishes like sticky millet, boiled greens, and wild mushrooms star in several home-cooked spreads. The festival’s also a showcase for indigenous organic coffee, hand-rolled tea, and local honey.

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Beyond the Main Arena

The heritage walk (free if you look like you know where you’re going) gives you a glimpse of hilltop villages - the elderly, buffalo horns at the gate, kids shouting “photo photo!”

Hike, bird-watch, detour to Kohima’s poignant World War II cemetery or craft bazaars selling the best shawls, spears, bamboo flutes.

Nagaland names these countries as partners for the 2025 Hornbill Festival

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Nagaland has named five partner countries for the Hornbill Festival 2025 including Austria, France, Ireland, Malta, and Switzerland. The United Kingdom will also participate as a country partner. The announcement of Switzerland and Ireland as partners came on November 18 and 19, 2025, following meetings in New Delhi with Nagaland's Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

Essential Tips

Dress in layers; Naga hills defrost slowly

Book homestays early - hotels fill up fast

Take cash; card machines work, WiFi rarely does

Be polite about photos - ask, especially at ceremonies

Festival usually runs Dec 1–10, but check @hornbillfestivalnagaland on Instagram for updates

Hornbill isn’t just another festival - it’s an open invitation. To linger, to listen, to say yes to the unfamiliar. So, cheers to you and your experience at the Hornbill Festival!