The tribes of Nagaland
The Sümi Tribe
Zunheboto district · Festival: Tuluni (July 8 window)
At the Hornbill Festival: The Sümi morung is the arena’s drum powerhouse, and their modern migration story (Sümis run much of Nagaland’s business) is told with pride.
Traditional dress and craft
Sümi warrior shawls (apelu) with red medallion fields; women’s aghemi shell-belt dresses and heavy brass jewellery.
What to know about the Sümi
The Sümi of Zunheboto celebrate Tuluni with rice-beer in leaf cups, and their hilltop mega-church is among the largest in Asia.
Meet the Sümi in person
Visit their morung at the Hornbill Festival (December 1–10, Kisama), afternoons are for conversations, not performances. Or travel to Zunheboto district for Tuluni in July 8 window, the same culture at home scale. Our [tribes guide](/journal/hornbill-festival-tribes/) covers every community, and the [festivals calendar](/journal/festivals-of-nagaland/) maps the year.
Hornbill Festival packages from ₹3,999, every tribe, one arena, everything included.