Nagaland Tribe Festivals: The Year, Tribe by Tribe

Nagaland runs on its festival calendar: seventeen tribes, each with its own season, and one December arena where all of them gather. This is the year, tribe by tribe, built from the same records behind our tribe pages.

The calendar

• Kachari (Dimapur plains and the western border belt): Bwishu, April.
• Chakhesang (Phek district): Naknyulem-linked and Tsükhenyie, April-May window.
• Phom (Longleng district): M\u00f6ng\u00fcng, April-May window (Mungmung Sep 1 in the 2026 calendar).
• Yimkhiung (Kiphire and Shamator districts): Metemneo, August window.
• Angami (Kohima and the southern hills): Sekrenyi, February.
• Zeliang (Peren district): Hegaile, February window.
• S\u00fcmi (Zunheboto district): Tuluni, July 8 window.
• Kuki (Peren, Dimapur and the southern hills): Chavang Kut, November 1.
• Tikhir (Kiphire district, Saramati foothills): T\u00f4l\u00fchu, November window.
• Pochury (Meluri and Zhavame, southern Phek): Yemshe, October.
• Khiamniungan (Noklak district, the eastern border): Ngu-diu, announced annually (August-September window).
• Chang (Tuensang district): Naknyulum, announced annually (July tradition).
• Rengma (Tseminy\u00fc district): Ngada, end of November.
• Konyak (Mon district): Aoleang, first week of April.
• Ao (Mokokchung district): Moats\u00fc, first week of May.
• Lotha (Wokha district): Tokhu Emong, first week of November.
• Sangtam (Kiphire and Tuensang districts): Amongmong, first week of September.

How to actually attend one

Tribe festivals happen in home districts, not arenas: Mokokchung for Moatsu, Mon for Aoleang, Phek country for the Chakhesang spring season. Dates flex with harvests and church calendars; confirm locally the week before. The December exception is the Hornbill Festival, all seventeen tribes at Kisama on fixed dates (Dec 1–10). Our festivals-by-month guide extends this across all eight states.

Quick answers

What is the main festival of Nagaland? The Hornbill Festival (Dec 1–10) is the state festival; each tribe keeps its own, from Sekrenyi to Moatsu.

Which tribe festivals can visitors attend? All of them, respectfully; village festivals want a local host, which is exactly what we arrange.

When is Moatsu? The first week of May, in Ao country around Mokokchung.

Plan your month around a festival: message us.