Diethozo Angami
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]f late there has been a semblance of criticism of the now famous Hornbill Festival of Nagaland. Some have even gone to the extent of calling it a festival of sin and evil, which sound more fundamentalist and Talibanist than anything else. While it is accepted that Nagaland has a long way to go on several fronts and the State Government may perhaps be falling short on certain areas, it does not mean that the hornbill festival has become evil or is coming in the way of development and progress.Over the years, the Hornbill Festival has become the most well known and most acceptable brand ambassador of Nagaland and the Naga people. In the past decades, we used to be known for insurgency, violence and political instability. Nagaland would hit the news only when insurgency claimed lives or a government was toppled for a new formation. Now, the trend has completely changed. The Naga youth are coming into their own and Nagaland is today being recognised by the global community thanks to the efforts and achievements of the youth. Our sportspersons, musicians, artists, cultural ambassadors and other professionals are creating a positive image of our land and our people.
The Hornbill Festival has become a major international event in the entire region and visitors come from all corners of the world to experience something that is unique and different. The event is creating a positive appreciation of our people and our culture and the youth are getting more than dozens of platforms to display their talents and get recognition. Most importantly, the event is creating an economy of its own, which has a multiple spin off impact entrepreneurship and employment. Private enterprise has been a major benefactor and we can see that a solid beginning has been made.
However, a ten day festival that brings tourists and business into the State for such a short period is not enough to sustain business and the service industry for twelve months. The government has to do much more and have year round events throughout the year so that we have tourists and visitors visiting Nagaland all year round. Then entrepreneurship, enterprise and economy will pick up beyond our imagination. Naga youth too want to achieve success and live the good life and the State government is responsible for creating avenues for the youth to reach their aspirations. Tourism, promotion of culture and heritage and making Nagaland a recognised global brand is one area where the Nagaland government has done extremely well. The hornbill festival has many areas that have room for improvement but it is a brand that has made Nagaland global and all citizens must protect it and contribute towards its improvement.
