Kisama Heritage Village

Kisama Heritage Village, also called the Naga Heritage Village, is an open-air cultural complex about 12 km south of Kohima in Nagaland, and the permanent venue of the Hornbill Festival, held every year from 1 to 10 December. Kisama Heritage Village was created so that the major Naga tribes could be represented side by side, each with its own morung built in its traditional style.

A morung is a communal house that once served as a dormitory, school and guardhouse for young men in a Naga village. At Kisama the morungs of tribes such as the Angami, Ao, Sumi, Lotha, Konyak and others show the differences in their building styles, carvings and decoration. The Hornbill Festival, first held in 2000 and named after the hornbill bird, which appears widely in Naga folklore, fills the site with dances, songs, games, crafts and food. The festival is by far the biggest event in Nagaland, and outside December the village is quiet and works as an open-air museum.

What to see

• Tribal morungs, each carved and decorated in its own style
• Dance and music performances in the arena during the festival
• The Second World War museum on the site
• Craft and food stalls from across Nagaland in December
• Views over the Kohima hills and Kigwema village nearby

What to wear

Kisama sits at about 1,500 m, and December evenings are cold, so bring a warm jacket, scarf and layers, plus comfortable shoes for the steep paths between morungs. Sun protection helps on clear days. Dress modestly and ask before photographing performers. The Hornbill Festival is the best place to see Naga traditional dress: woven shawls with tribe-specific patterns, headgear with hornbill feathers, and beaded necklaces.

Local food to try

During the festival, each morung runs its own kitchen. Try smoked pork with bamboo shoot, pork with axone (fermented soybean), Ao-style anishi, made with dried taro leaves, and dishes flavoured with the raja mircha, the fierce Naga king chilli. Rice beer, zutho, is widely served. Vegetarian options are fewer, so ask at the stalls, or eat at Indian restaurants in Kohima town.

Good to know

• Best time: 1 to 10 December for the Hornbill Festival; October to May otherwise
• Open daily in daytime, roughly 9am to 5pm
• Entry is ticketed during the festival; otherwise free or nominal
• Allow half a day, or several days during the festival
• About 12 km south of Kohima on the Imphal road; Dimapur airport is about 85 km
• Book Kohima rooms months ahead for December; foreign visitors need a Protected Area Permit for Nagaland

Nearby places

Kisama Heritage Village is a short drive from the Kohima War Cemetery, and close to the trailheads for Dzukou Valley. Imphal, with Ima Keithel, lies about 130 km further south on the same highway.