Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, and why the Church has frowned at relaxing rules around it

Sub: History

Sec: Art and Culture

Context:

The 25th edition of Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival is currently underway amidst a debate over relaxing the state’s 35-year-old liquor prohibition law, Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act 1989.
The government has granted tourists and stall owner’s permission to use Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) within the festival venue, the Kisama Heritage Village.
This decision has sparked opposition from influential church bodies, who have long contested the availability of alcohol, including traditional rice beer, at the festival.

About Hornbill festival:

The Hornbill Festival is an annual cultural event held in Nagaland, showcasing the heritage and traditions of the state’s diverse Naga tribes.
The festival was initiated in 2000 to promote tourism and unity among the 14 recognised Naga tribes.
The festival has become Nagaland’s biggest tourist attraction. In 2023, it attracted more than 54 lakh visitors, including over 2,100 foreign tourists.

Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989:

The Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989 was introduced to impose complete prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state.
The Act was strongly supported by Christian organizations, particularly the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA).
The Nagaland government has expressed interest in reviewing the NLTP Act, considering a shift from complete prohibition to regulated alcohol use.

Historical Context:

Alcohol consumption, including the brewing of rice beer, was a long-standing tradition among the Naga people.
However, with the arrival of American Baptists in the 1870s, Christianity and its moral codes began influencing social customs, including a strict stance on alcohol consumption.