Government of India- 195 views
Kisama Heritage Village
The post-Independence era saw a revival of the indigenous tribal cultures of Northeast India that had faced a setback during the British colonial rule. The state of Nagaland, in particular, was a site of such revival. Among other steps, the Government of Nagaland had made concerted efforts to preserve the state’s cultural heritage and tribal roots through the tourism industry. This culminated in the establishment of the Kisama Heritage Village.
Aerial view of the main arena at Kisama Heritage Village, against the backdrop of the Naga hills. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons.
The Village derives its name from the two villages, Kigwema and Phesama, on whose lands the heritage village had been commissioned and built in 2003. Located 12 kilometres away from the capital but within the Kohima district, the Kisama Heritage Village was conceptualized as a 'Window to Nagaland.' It was built with an aim to provide visitors with a glimpse of the cultural diversity of Nagaland on a single stage.
Kisama was designed in the form of an archetypal Naga village with a modern edge. It is set up as a mini-village with grand ceremonial gates, housing arenas and amphitheaters, as well as massive indoor shopping areas. The Heritage Complex consists of sixteen dormitories or morungs, one for each tribe of Nagaland. Interestingly, these representative tribal groups are organised within the complex in accordance to their geographic location within the state. The morungs are erected in the traditional architectural style and are adorned with symbols of significance to the tribes, such as weapons like spears, wooden figurines of humans and animals, and even Naga log drums. Besides the morungs, the Heritage Village also comprises a World War II museum, Bamboo Heritage Hall and Pavillion, food courts and a stadium for live concerts.
One of the sixteen tribal morungs erected at the Heritage Complex. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Since 2003, on the first ten days of December, the village has hosted the annual Hornbill Festival. The festival had first taken place in the year 2000 on the local grounds of Kohima town. It was conceived as a single grand event that would showcase the Naga indigenous culture through songs, dances, attire and architecture. Over the years, the Hornbill Festival has been deemed as the ‘Festival of Festivals’ in Nagaland.
The festival’s name is symbolic as the Indian Hornbill forms an integral part of Nagaland’s folklore tradition, and is popularly envisioned to be an embodiment of love, bravery and divine justice. Its feathers have long been prominent on the headgears of several Naga tribes. The starting date of the festival is also significant as 1st December marks the Nagaland Foundation Day i.e. the day on which Nagaland had formally got its statehood in 1963.
A dance performance at the main amphitheater ground of the Kisama Heritage Village during the annual Hornbill Festival. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
While the underlying concept behind the festival remains the same, there has been a vast change in its scale. Hosted by the Nagaland State Tourism Department and Nagaland Art and Culture Department, the Festival is a mega event that showcases local food, clothes and artifacts—inviting participation from not only Nagaland, but also from several other Indian states. Many indigenous games like pig-chasing, Naga acrobatics, and Naga chilli-eating competitions are also held. In recent times, the festival has also begun to include the Hornbill International Rock Contest, the Miss Nagaland Beauty Pageant and an elaborate motor rally.
A rock show taking place at the Hornbill Festival. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Hornbill Festival is also graced by delegations from other tribes in the Northeast who perform their own traditional dances. Some such performances include those of the Jaintias of Meghalaya and their Shad Pliang dance and the Hojagiri dance of the Reang community of Tripura. Cultural troupes from states outside the Northeast, like Punjab and Odisha, have also been a part of the Hornbill Festival in recent years.
What remains central to the festival even today is the goal to use tourism for the purpose of reviving and protecting Naga heritage. Thousands of tourists, both local and foreign, come to the Hornbill Festival. Even in the so-called off-season there is a steady influx of tourists to the Heritage Village.
A traditional dance being performed while a mix of locals and tourists watch on. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Through fairs and cultural celebrations, the Kisama Heritage Village maintains its position as a built heritage site where the locals can relearn their own heritage, be it traditional woodworking and archery or the rifle-wielding folk dance of the Konyaks, while tourists can catch a glimpse of the Naga way of life.
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