Photos: India Northeast Tribe, Nagas showcase traditional culture at Hornbill Festival

KOHIMA, India—The men dressed like warriors stabbed their spears in the air, reenacting a form of tribal warfare their ancestors used in battles. Many others wore tribal costumes, sang and danced, and kept alive customs that had been passed down through generations.

These were among the scenes at the 10-day Hornbill Festival in Kohima, the capital of India’s remote Nagaland state, which borders Myanmar. Nagaland, a frontier during World War II where Allied troops fought against the Japanese, is home to Nagas, an Indigenous people who inhabit several northeastern Indian states.

The festival, which ended Tuesday, brought together a collection of traditional arts, cuisine and folklore, spotlighting the diverse Naga heritage. Nagaland’s famed headhunters also joined, and hundreds of tribal participants wore accessories that included necklaces made from animal tusks.

Indigenous Nagas perform a warrior dance dance during the Hornbill Festival in Kisama, on the outskirts of Kohima, capital of the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Named after the Indian hornbill, a large forest bird, the festival is Nagaland’s biggest tourist draw and seeks to showcase the rich tradition and cultural heritage of the state’s Indigenous tribes, each with its own distinct festivals and character.

In the majority Hindu country, most Nagas are Christians. They are ethnically distinct from most of India.

Most Naga villages are perched on mountaintops, originally built long ago to spot approaching enemies when the region was little more than a forest.

See more photos from the festival below: