Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• Yes, definitely Yes! The Hornbill festival definitely needs fresh innovative thinking and creative implementation. So many years have passed by, and we have been holding on to the same old rituals of celebrating this festival. Are we even looking at the various negative and positive consequences of hosting this festival? So much money is spent on renovating the whole place, whole Kisama, every year. It has become an unnecessary spending and a total waste of resources. Why not form a committee to take care of the venue throughout the year and look after the maintenance of the area instead of wasting another few crores on renovating the whole place. That would not only employ the jobless but also open up a new tourist destination for travelers who come to Nagaland all year round. The “Heritage Village” can be a new Tourist destination available for the whole year and not just Ten days. Also the festival lacks so much of creativity and innovation. The committee that plans and executes this festival should look for people with fresh ideas and experiences in this field. Students acquainted with tourism studies can play a massive role in this festival, and enhance this festival in providing the best of what Nagaland can offer to the world, as it has been names an International Festival. We need to upgrade this festival to meet the standards of the title “International.” And going Global can be met with newer ideas and creativity.
• Yes. Hornbill should stop being an annual affair. Make it triennial. Distribute the funds equally between all tribes and let them celebrate in the respective headquarters in the 2nd year, during their respective tribes festival. It will start a healthy competition to revive and preserve our culture. Then, give opportunity to every range, region, zone, area to celebrate it amongst their respective community members in the 1st year. In such a scenario tourist can flow into the interiors and districts in manageable numbers and over different periods of time. Funding should be on same lines again. Equal distribution but not wholly on the Government. The 3rd year can be the grand finale at Kisama. And please the suggestion to hold Hornbill festival at other district headquarters is totally impractical.
• Yes. First don't make it an annual event. Second reduce the day of the festival. 10 days festival is too long. At least reduce to 7 days which is quite good. And to separate 1st December to observe Statehood day. Hornbill Festival can begin from 2nd December onward.
• Yes, the events are become monotonous and it is losing its originality. Rather than introducing new creative events each year, the festival seems to be regressing and becoming stale. The practice of awarding events to the same event management and people every year is the reason why there is a shortage of new events. It is time to introduce some innovative events that represent the cultural richness of the Nagas.
• Yes. its not the naga culture but mixed with odd and sods to make something out of noting and lots of money is eaten by outsiders to come and perform here. what a waste full government we have
• Yes... bring it down to dimapur
• Yes... need to check all price. its so expensive... its an extortion
• Yes. Kohima is too burdened. Infra deficiency, accommodation, traffic paralysis... weather etc Pathetic to display our inability. This is not real. We can do better but not so given the limited conditions of Kisama aa a location Narrow lanes etc... we are killing the brand Way past time to spread it to other areas ... Tuensang Dimapur Mokok Wokha etc ... at least spread the items ...Make it more authentic
• Yes... There should be a limit on non cultural programs. The tourists are here to witness our culture not concerts, fashion shows et al. Stalls should be given subsidy so that tourists are treated as guests not as customers. Most tourists travels on budget so treat them like a guest which is part of our hospitable culture instead of selling things to them at exorbitant rates.
• Yes, not just freshened innovative ideas but more importantly, an overhaul of the whole system. If that's not done, we better abandon the mega event because it's only a burden upon ourselves...
• Yes. A fresh makeover is urgently required. People are not excited about Hornbill Festival anymore. The passion is definitely missing. Everybody seems exhausted. Organizers appear to have run out of ideas to make the event as fresh and exciting as it used to be when it first began. Visiting stalls or events has become like a mundane chore. Stalls are unnecessarily expensive. The props & paraphernalia are shoddy, tasteless and look embarrassingly cheap. The success of any cultural festival depends not only on the fun value it offers but also on the aesthetical experience it promises. Hornbill Festival appears to have lost its very raison d'être i.e of providing an opportunity, for both Nagas and tourists, to get a feel of a traditional Naga sense-of-life. There is nothing authentic or inspiring in the cultural parades. The government's aim to sell our cultural wealth and commercialize exoticism has utterly failed. Commercialization has only made way for dispersals of shallow representations of Naga culture which has not only taken away the aesthetic charms but has also diluted the reverence and pride we have for our traditional heritage, rituals and practices. The lack of warmth, vibrancy and enthusiasm is clearly visible. This extravagant Cultural exhibition has degraded into a self-demeaning exercise. Tourists also deserve at least a hospitable locale when they come visiting. Bad roads and dusty streets appear to suggests that we are not very happy welcoming our guests. Our Naga sense of hospitality has really gone for a toss. Is it in our culture to invite guest into a dirty home?! Culture is more than a one time - merrymaking 10 days in a year - affair; it should be a way of life. Organising international event without basic infrastructure in place is more than embarrassing; it is also irresponsible. It's time the government put an end to this madness!
• Yes. Go back to the roots. Many are tired of patiently listening and tolerating those who try to ape the West in everything. Let's strive to be original. For a change, let's have FOLKTALE STORY TELLING contest of different Naga communities told in simple English without compromising unique Naga ethos. We can also have folk song contests in duets and quartets. Thus, we will learn to articulate our own age old values to the outside world. And we have have a surge of indigenous musicians and performers like Tetseo Sisters, Reuben Mashangva, Abiogenesis to name a few.
• Yes. The hornbill festival should be reviewed. It’s a festival, but the govt need not involve the whole Nagaland governmental machinery. In Kohima everything literally comes to a standstill. Is that how festivals are celebrated elsewhere? We talk of tourism and economic development, how do we expect that, when every guest is a VIP taken care of by the govt. Along with hornbill festival comes weddings and Christmas adding to non functioning of govt for a whole month!!
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No need. Simply closed it before younger generation get more spoiled, more younger girls get unwanted pregnancy, abortions, alcoholics ... etc...etc before their actual age. This hornbill festival is getting dirtier n dirtier. As Christians we are not to worship or follow a bird years back from a prayer center it was revealed that NAGAS will worship a bird... So true that it has come to our hornbill. dear people think and act wisely.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• Fresh Innovative Ideas be Like ... Presently there are just too many problems to deal with in Our State, so better if we don't celebrate Hornbill festival and instead try to Use all the available fund we have in development activities ... development activities like building good black topping roads, buying new transformers to cut load shedding, and having a good sanctuary protected by well paid forest rangers to PROTECT OUR OWN VERY ALMOST "EXTINCT HORNBILL" ... and some other issues like paying Our unpaid Teachers and others Staffs like NRHM staffs and any other staffs who work but yet paid till now... just my opinion though... and one more thing... Lets stop buying NEW CARS dear Politicians and Bureaucrats...
• Hornbill festival has outlived Kohima, a lot of my friends and people I know came to kisama in the past but non of them ever came back, it is a gentle way of saying it's mediocre .The horrible road, dirty town, over priced everything from hotel to food to items, our people just lack management skills from development to organising an event. For example, in Shillong autumn fest and weekender annual festival is going from strength to strength. Shillong and Kohima have pretty much the same topography and easily accessible by tourist but the former has amazing infrastructure, clean and well organised, while the latter is total opposite. I love Kohima, it deserve to be much better.
• Need to privatise. Just because of Hornbill whole office in Khm goes empty.
• Hornbill festival in its 10 years, if it is still manage under deficits must be stopped. In ten years, it should be generating profits. A good venture without benefiting the NAGAS is totally useless. All I see is some handful of individuals earn while the state coffer runs dry.
• Hornbill represents all Nagas not just Angamis. Why not shift the venue every year in every district so that even other tribes can get the necessary privileges tourism good roads etc.
• Pay the pending salaries of different department first and plan the next. That is more important.
• The popularity of the festival has grown leap and bounds but so far it lacks innovative thinking from all corners. In fact it has only become a money bag for some of the officers involved in the festival. Just file an RTI in the tourism dept post the festival and you will know what I mean.
• The government should atleast make some profits to ease their financial burden of the state... Government expenses are so much and individual + selfish politicians + high ranking government officials earn so such. The state should not suffer for handful people. Change and innovative ideas is a continuous process and we all see it year after year. But ...
1. The length of the festival makes it more expensive and boring. It will be better to make it short and sweet. 2. Strict regulation of time as happens when students are busy for exams. 3. Proper planning and regulation of Traffic and Taxi Fares. 4. Hotels and guest houses to be checked properly as some youths tend to be mischievous with late night parties etc.
Lastly, MORUNGS which are beautifully should be respected by all visitors and also utilised meaningfully. It would be really nice if there are some tribal elders explaining the importance of MORUNGS in olden days , sharing folk tales, old stories, origin of the tribe , village, tribal festivals, importance of one's own language... Maybe a projector kept outside screening some videos and images of the festivals, traditional attires, food habits etc... The young people should be taught the good values of our old tradition. We have a tradition which was handed down to us orally and I feel we can continue doing it for good. So also interested people can interview our grandpa's who are ready to share gems of olden times...
