Kisama Heritage Village

A village built for Hornbill

Kisama Heritage Village sits on a hillside above the main highway, about 12 km south of Kohima, between the villages of Kigwema and Phesama. Its name joins the two: Ki from Kigwema, sa from Phesama and ma from both. The site was laid out like an old Naga village, with a morung for each of Nagaland's tribes. A morung was the traditional house where young men lived and learned the ways of the village. Each one here follows its own tribe's style, with carved posts, crossed horns and steep thatched or wooden roofs.

During the Hornbill Festival

From 1 to 10 December, Kisama is the main stage of the Hornbill Festival. Each tribe's troupe performs dances and songs in full dress. Craft stalls sell shawls, beadwork and woodwork, and food stalls serve dishes from across the state. Traditional games and Naga wrestling fill the arena. It is crowded, noisy and the most complete look at Naga culture you can get in a single visit.

The rest of the year

Outside the festival, Kisama is very quiet. You can walk between the morungs and look at the carvings without crowds. But some visitors find buildings locked and few staff about, so check with the tourism office in Kohima before you make the trip. A World War II museum at Kisama has photographs and relics of the fighting, and it is worth asking whether it is open.

Getting there

Take a taxi from Kohima along the Imphal road. In December, traffic on this road is heavy in the mornings and after the last show, so leave early and agree a return time with your driver. The site is on a slope, with paths and steps between the morungs.