Northeastern states are recognized for their enormous beauty, various types of traditions, culture, and festivals. Nagaland is also one of those northeastern states that is a combo of all the above specialities. It’s home of different and unique tribes, customs, traditions, dances, songs, different festivals, and food. That’s why it is also known as the “Land of festivals”.

The events celebrated in Nagaland are popular all over the world. Nagaland attracts lots of visitors towards these events just because of its unique style and beauty. There are some of the popular events celebrated in Nagaland that you need to know for a better understanding of the culture of Nagaland.

The Popular events of Nagaland

Hornbill Festival – Most popular festival

Hornbill festival is celebrated annually. This festival gets its name from the Indian hornbill, a common bird among the folklore and the tribes of Nagaland.

Hornbill festival is a very popular and vibrant festival in Nagaland. It is often also called a “festival of all festivals”. This festival is a powerful representation of Naga culture, traditional practices, cultural music, and dance. All the diverse tribes in Nagaland offer their possible contribution to the festival to make it more entertaining and vibrant. People from all over the world visit Nagaland just to take part in these various extravagant dances and musical performances as well as competitions to make their visit more entertaining and fun. You must take part in the Hornbill festival at least once because only then you can actually know about the true culture and traditions of Nagaland.

 Ngada Festival – post harvesting celebration

Ngada festival is also celebrated annually in the month of November and December. This festival is celebrated after the harvesting of crops.

The Ngada festival is celebrated by the Rengma tribe (originated in the state of Assam and Nagaland, northeast India). Ngada Festival is also among the most popular and vibrant festivals of Nagaland as it is a post-harvest festival in which people of different tribes celebrate the successful harvest and also do prayers at the graves of their loved ones.

Surkenye Festival – pray the Almighties

Surkenye festival is celebrated continuously for 6 days. This festival starts on 15 January and ends on 28 January. Surkenye festival is celebrated to pray to the almighty to bless and purify their souls. This is one of the harvest festivals which is celebrated by the Nagas of Nagaland (Chkhesang). The joviality of the festival is anchored by the chakhesang tribe with a keen and confident approach. It is a festival to promote baptism among the young generation of Nagaland. This festival includes cultural programs like singing, dancing, feasting, sacrificing animals, and praying to all the Almighties.

Sekrenyi Festival – a festival of harmony

Sekrenyi is a 10-day long festival organized by the people of the Angami tribe in Nagaland in the month of February every year. The festival involved festivities like cultural music and dance performed by the Angami tribe. During the festival, animals are hunted by the men of the village and prepared by the women of the Angami tribe for the dinner. The festival is very vibrant and featured with lots of cultural programs and delicious dishes.

Mimkut festival – annual harvest of maize crop

The Mimkut festival is celebrated on the occasion of the annual harvest of the maize crop (Mim). The origin of this festival is connected with a Kuki story of ” Mim”. this story explores the Love and bond of two brothers who were abandoned by their mother. The people of the Kuki tribe celebrate this festival by giving tribute to the dead soul in the form of wine, token of maize, jewellery, clothing, and bread.

The festival is celebrated by the Kuki tribe in Nagaland. The festival is very popular in Nagaland and celebrated in the month of December.

Hega Festival – a kind of valentine’s day

Hega festival is celebrated to appreciate feelings towards God and offer privileges to them. People at this festival do pray to the almighty to shower them with blessings in the form of luck, courage, and money.

Hega festival is also a very popular festival in Nagaland. This festival is celebrated by the zeliang community of Nagaland by simply praying to God and thanking him for blessing them. It is also celebrated as a kind of valentine’s day by the zeliang people, as young couples get engaged and weddings are done during Hega festival. It is a festival which is celebrated every year in the month of February and carried out for about 5 days continuously.

Bushu Festival – offer harvest to diety Sibrai

Bushu festival is divided into three steps and that’s why the duration of celebrating the festival varies with respect to time. This festival is celebrated as a thanksgiving ceremony organized by the Kachri tribe. The festival is organized, after when the harvest and cultivation are completed in the latter weeks of January. During this festival, people enjoy delicious food, drink, dance, and sing.

Tsukenyie Festival – tribute to harvest in agriculture

Tsukenyie festival is celebrated for about 4 days from the 6th of March every year. Each day of this festival is marked as a traditional ceremony or ritual program. The festival Tsukenyie is celebrated by the chakhesang tribe in Nagaland. This festival is full of bright colors, peace, happiness. This festival also a kind of New year. At this occasion, tribal people of chakhesang do eye-catching performances of dance and singing that’s the main highlight of the Tsukenyie festival.

Moatsu Festival – a festival of harmony and unity

Moatsu festival is celebrated by the Ao Nagas tribe of Nagaland. This festival is celebrated after the fields have been cleared, weeds have been discarded and seeds are sown. It seems to be a kind of reward for people who have worked for several hours to clear those fields.

 In this Moatsu festival, tribal people pray to the almighty to look after their lands and be blessed with a great harvest. The festival is celebrated with full harmony and unity. People of the tribe celebrate the Moatsu festival by doing traditional dance and singing cultural songs.

Yemshe  Festival – a celebration of combined efforts

Yemshe festival is quite a popular festival in Nagaland. This is also one of the most popular harvesting festivals celebrated in northeast India ( Nagaland). This festival is celebrated by the people of the Pochuris Nagas tribe. The people of Pochuris Nagas celebrate the festival Yemshe by doing different traditional dances on folk music in their cultural dresses. This festival is quite important for the people of the Pochuris  Nagas, hence they celebrate it with full joy and warm feelings. This festival is celebrated in the last week of September and the first week of October. It is one of the most widely known harvest festivals in Nagaland. It is a kind of appreciation ceremony for the efforts put in the fields by the people of the Pochuris tribes.

So these were some of the festivals or events that Nagaland people celebrate. Be a part of the famous festivals of Nagaland whenever you get a chance.