As the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland celebrates its 25th year in 2024, former Secretary of Tourism, L.H. Thangi Mannen, has called for greater recognition of the festival’s roots and its founding members, reflecting on its evolution into a global cultural event.
Mannen pointed out that, despite the significance of the milestone, the government had failed to release a commemorative souvenir, missing an opportunity to document the festival’s rich history. “It’s still not too late for the Government to bring out a souvenir within this 25th year of the festival,” she urged, suggesting contributions from local media and government departments.
One of Mannen’s major concerns was the exclusion of founding members from the opening ceremony of the festival’s 25th edition. He emphasized the need for respect toward elders, particularly those who helped establish the festival. “One would expect some amount of magnanimity and basic courtesy to extend invitations to them, most of whom have retired,” Mannen remarked, stressing the Nagas’ cultural value of respecting elders.
The first Hornbill Festival, initiated under the leadership of then-Chief Minister Dr. S.C. Jamir in 2000, was a modest affair, held at Kohima’s Khouchiezie ground. With only 16 tribal morungs and food and craft stalls, the event was a logistical challenge, with everything needing to be dismantled after each event. “The preparation of putting up 16 tribal morungs/huts, display/food stalls, a performing stage etc. had to be dismantled after every event,” Mannen recalled.
Despite tight schedules and limited infrastructure, the festival’s success helped emphasize the need for cultural expression in Nagaland, particularly during a period of emerging peace following the 1997 ceasefire agreement.
As the festival has grown, Mannen urges the government to preserve its legacy and ensure that its history is not overlooked, marking the 25th edition as a chance to reflect on its humble beginnings.
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