Page 16 - Rolling Stone - India (December 2019)

The Mix

Bengaluru rock band Perfect Strang-
ers – winnerof the Hornbill Interna-
tional Rock Contest 2018.

Hornbill Music Festival

Prepares For a Total Makeover

Nagaland’s Task Force for Music & Arts is now touting Hornbill as an ‘experiential festival’ held in
Dimapur and Kisama between December 1st and 10th

OW AN ADVISOR He starts by talking few decades, in the eyes of and constitution, TaFMA The hub for all things
of the recently about how the road from the media, been seen for is keen on highlighting art and music is presently
Ninstated Task Force the Nagaland state capital the wrong reasons. There’s Nagaland’s soft power – at the Regional Centre of
for Music and Arts (TaFMA) Kohima and the nearest city insurgency and violence, but music and arts. Meru says, Excellence for Music and
in Nagaland, Theja Meru has with an airport – Dimapur it’s not as bad as the media “Music is the soft-power of Performing Arts (RCEMPA)
been pushing music in the – is a rough one. Meru makes it out to be in the past Nagaland. It tells a right story in Kohima district. It recently
state and pushing out Naga says, “It’s bad, but we’re decade. Somehow we’ve got for Nagaland. We’re known played host to a piano
talent to the rest of India and getting there to improve it.” publicity for that. We want for a lot [of] bad reasons, festival as well as post-rock
the world for over a decade Later, Abu Metha – adviser Nagaland and Naga people often. I feel music and the band Aswekeepsearching and
now. The chartered president to the Chief Minister of to be known for the right arts, which is so much part Nagaland’s rock act Polar
of the Rattle and Hum Music Nagaland Neiphiu Rio – reasons.” of our DNA – every second Lights. Meru and TaFMA
Society who organize the mentions that there are Just as the rest of India person can hum a tune or are currently planning the
annual Handshake Concerts often misrepresentations awaits the signing of a new strum a guitar – I think next big move – overhauling
to promote peace and goodwill of the state in the media. agreement that may give birth there’s a story to be told there. their long-running Hornbill
knows all too well the public Metha says, “Unfortunately, to an entity called Greater This is the beautiful and Festival (December 1st to
perception of Nagaland. Nagaland has, in the past Nagalim with a separate flag bright side of Nagaland.” 10th).

16 | Rolling Stone | December 2019