Dimapur: With the USA, Wales, Japan, Bulgaria and Peru as country partners for the celebration of its 25th edition, the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland commenced with new vigour, pomp and gaiety to showcase a collaborative cultural experience at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, near Kohima, on Sunday.
Sikkim and Telangana are the partner states for the festival.
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Nagaland Governor La Ganesan, the chief host of the celebration, said this festival, lovingly dubbed the “Festival of Festivals”, is a presentation of “our tradition, a symbol of our unity and a testament to the diversity of mother India”.
“As we complete 25 years of this festival, it is a moment to reflect on what we have achieved. It is also a moment to celebrate our unity in diversity and march to a harmonious future enriched by mutual respect and understanding,” he said.
To the guests at the festival, who have travelled from across the globe and other states of India, Ganesan said their presence signals a bridge across cultures, continents, and hearts.
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“It is through these shared experiences that we foster a deeper understanding and celebrate our richness and diversity.
“We are thrilled to share with them the beats of our traditional dances, the melodies of our folk songs, the flavours of our cuisines and the warmth of our Naga hospitality,” he said.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the host of the festival, accorded a special welcome to Japan, Peru, Wales, the USA, Bulgaria, their embassy officials as well as music legend Dr AR Rahman.
He described the Hornbill festival as an embodiment of the spirit of the Naga way of life, its vibrant culture and traditions. He added that the festival is a legacy of the Naga forefathers and their spirit of unity and oneness.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to India Keiichi Ono expressed his excitement to collaborate with Nagaland to promote its charms.
Sharing the common history of the importance of bamboo in the lives of Nagas as well as the Japanese, he said over 100 Naga youths had been employed in Japan under various schemes.
Ambassador of the Republic of Peru, Javier Manuel Paulinich Velarde talked about the shared values of the people of Peru and Nagaland.
British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron said she felt excited that Wales is a partner country for this edition’s Hornbill Festival as it is the 80th year of the Battle of Kohima where it has a deep historical tie with the British people as well.
She endorsed the idea of furthering the partnership in the future through their shared love of music.
Padma Bhushan Rahman compared the energy of the Naga musicians as akin to the musicians abroad which later inspired him to make a documentary “Headhunting to Beatboxing” about Naga artists.
He enthralled the crowd with a special number.