In news- To protest the killings of civilians by the security forces in Mon district on Saturday, eight of the 17 tribes in Nagaland announced their withdrawal from the annual Hornbill Festival.
About the festival–
- Also called the “festival of festivals”, the Hornbill Festival is celebrated every year from December 1 to 10.
- It brings all the 17 tribes of Nagaland on a platform and facilitates the promotion of their culture to the rest of the world.
- It is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colorful forest bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state’s tribes.
- The aim of the festival is to revive and protect the rich culture of Nagaland and display its extravaganza and traditions.
- The first edition of the festival was held in 2000.
- Organized by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments, the Hornbill Festival is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, about 12 km from Kohima.
About Great Hornbill:
- The great hornbill (Bucerosbicornis) also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, greatIndian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family.
- They are found in the forests of North eastern region of India, Bhutan, Nepal, Mainland Southeast Asia, Indonesian Island of Sumatra.
- They are also found in a few forest areas in the Western Ghats and in the forests along the Himalayas.
- It is long-lived, living for nearly 50 years in captivity.
- It will prey on small mammals, reptiles and birds.
- IUCN status- Vulnerable
- It is the state bird of Chin State in Myanmar, and of Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh in India.
- Blyth’s tragopan is the state bird of Nagaland.
Source: The Indian Express
