The Hornbill festival in the northeast Indian state of Nagaland features dancing, singing and stone pulling.
Over a dozen of the region's biggest tribes come together wearing colourful costumes, some of which look like the hornbill bird.
Men, women and children are seen pitching in during the event, and one of the highlights of the festival is the stone pulling ceremony.
Although such a ceremony has not been held in decades, people from the tribes have certainly not forgotten how to participate.
Dr Vizovol Mekro, an Angami tribesman, says he still admires the tradition because "it encouraged people to work hard".
The entire tribe of about 10,000 people, have turned out to drag the massive stone, which is five and a half metres long and almost two metres wide, along a one kilometre stretch of road.
Traditionally, the stone pulling is held in honour of a couple who holds a feast for the entire village.
"As per tradition, a couple who throw this feast... they come fully dressed in traditional regalia, and stones would be pulled and erected as a tribute to them," Dr Mekro said.
The Hornbill festival is a celebration of culture and history, hoping to promote peace and unity.
Every year, the festival is held in early December at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 km from the town of Kohima.
More than 60 per cent of the population in Nagaland depends on agriculture and therefore, most of their festivals revolve around agriculture.
The Hornbill festival is named after the hornbill bird which is displayed in folklore in most of the state’s tribes.
This year, 16 Naga tribes have been represented at the festival and organizers hope that more tribes from India and neighbouring Myanmar will join in.
Even though the Naga people share many traditions, inter-tribal conflict remains a problem.
"We are widely divided but we have the emotional integration, culture, social and political integration," Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said.
The festival organisers hope the festival will go some way toward contributing to the efforts to unite the Naga people.
Over a dozen of the region's biggest tribes come together wearing colourful costumes, some of which look like the hornbill bird.
Men, women and children are seen pitching in during the event, and one of the highlights of the festival is the stone pulling ceremony.
Although such a ceremony has not been held in decades, people from the tribes have certainly not forgotten how to participate.
Dr Vizovol Mekro, an Angami tribesman, says he still admires the tradition because "it encouraged people to work hard".
The entire tribe of about 10,000 people, have turned out to drag the massive stone, which is five and a half metres long and almost two metres wide, along a one kilometre stretch of road.
Traditionally, the stone pulling is held in honour of a couple who holds a feast for the entire village.
"As per tradition, a couple who throw this feast... they come fully dressed in traditional regalia, and stones would be pulled and erected as a tribute to them," Dr Mekro said.
The Hornbill festival is a celebration of culture and history, hoping to promote peace and unity.
Every year, the festival is held in early December at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 km from the town of Kohima.
More than 60 per cent of the population in Nagaland depends on agriculture and therefore, most of their festivals revolve around agriculture.
The Hornbill festival is named after the hornbill bird which is displayed in folklore in most of the state’s tribes.
This year, 16 Naga tribes have been represented at the festival and organizers hope that more tribes from India and neighbouring Myanmar will join in.
Even though the Naga people share many traditions, inter-tribal conflict remains a problem.
"We are widely divided but we have the emotional integration, culture, social and political integration," Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said.
The festival organisers hope the festival will go some way toward contributing to the efforts to unite the Naga people.
RSS-канал
