Hornbill Festival 2025: Solar Morungs Illuminate Nagaland’s Sustainable Tourism Efforts Amid Cultural Celebrations

Published on December 7, 2025

In 2025, the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, a major celebration of Naga culture, will mark a significant milestone in sustainable tourism. While the festival continues to showcase the Naga people’s rich traditions, heritage, and vibrant cuisine, a new initiative, the solar morung, has piqued both interest and admiration.

The solar morung project, which is located in Kisama’s Naga Heritage Village, was created by Aboriginal Energy, a Dimapur-based company that specialises in green power solutions. This year’s festival marks the first time solar-powered morungs have been installed in the village, indicating a significant shift towards combining modern energy solutions with cultural preservation.

Solar Power Meets Naga Tradition: A New Vision for the Hornbill Festival

Aboriginal Energy, founded in 2019, was born out of a strong commitment to promoting clean and sustainable energy sources across Nagaland. The company has been making strides in green energy, providing solar power to over 200 villages, 130 health centres, and 30 schools in the state. The inclusion of solar morungs at the Hornbill Festival represents a unique convergence of traditional values and modern technological solutions.

The festival, known for its vivid exhibitions of Naga culture, also serves as a vital platform for showcasing innovative ideas that support sustainable practices in the region. The solar morung installation is one such initiative, designed to ensure that the festival remains unaffected by potential power shortages, while also fostering a deeper understanding of clean energy in the Naga community.

A Step Towards Sustainable Tourism with Solar Morungs

One of the main objectives of the solar morung project is to promote clean energy while enhancing the festival experience. The solar morungs, which are traditional tribal structures, have been equipped with solar panels, inverters, and large batteries. These installations ensure that the morungs remain operational, even during power outages, which are relatively common in the region due to the fluctuating reliability of the state’s electricity supply.

The installations, which are a free contribution from Aboriginal Energy, have added an extra layer of sustainability to the event. Seven bamboo solar street lights were strategically installed across the festival grounds, and six morungs were equipped with solar backup systems. This was an important step in addressing energy reliability while upholding the Naga community’s deep-rooted traditions.

Choosing Bamboo: A Nod to Local Resources and Environmental Consciousness

In line with the company’s commitment to sustainable practices, bamboo poles were chosen for the solar street lights. Bamboo is not only a versatile and eco-friendly material but also holds significant cultural value within Naga communities. By utilizing local resources, Aboriginal Energy reinforced the importance of integrating indigenous materials with modern technology, thus highlighting the possibility of reducing environmental impact.

The solar morungs and streetlights were conceptualized as a contingency measure, ensuring uninterrupted services for visitors who attend the festival’s performances and activities. If power outages were to occur, the solar-powered systems would take over, offering both practical and symbolic value to the festival.

The Future of Solar Energy in Nagaland: A Step Forward for Sustainable Development

While the solar morung project at the Hornbill Festival is temporary, with the installations intended to be used only during the festival period, there is potential for their permanence. Aboriginal Energy has expressed openness to selling the systems to interested departments or morung owners, allowing the installations to remain long after the festival ends. This initiative reflects a forward-thinking approach to integrating clean energy into the fabric of Nagaland’s tourism sector.

The founder of Aboriginal Energy also highlighted the importance of collaboration between start-ups, government bodies, and the public to address the state’s future energy needs. Nagaland’s current electricity infrastructure, according to the company, is not as robust as that of other states in India. The need for alternative energy solutions like solar power is more pressing than ever, and the festival’s initiative could serve as a model for other regions looking to adopt sustainable energy practices.

Impacting Nagaland’s Tourism and Energy Future

This year’s festival has not only showcased the rich Naga culture but also positioned Nagaland as a pioneer in integrating sustainability into tourism. By embracing green energy solutions, the Hornbill Festival offers a compelling example of how indigenous cultures and modern innovations can coexist harmoniously. The solar morung project serves as an inspiration for future initiatives that will help ensure that tourism in Nagaland is not only sustainable but also forward-looking.

As more tourists and locals witness the integration of solar energy into the festival, it is hoped that the initiative will spark broader adoption of solar power across the region, especially in remote villages where energy access remains a challenge. The solar morung project offers a glimpse into a future where tourism is powered by clean, renewable energy, helping to protect both the environment and the cultural heritage of Nagaland.

The Role of Aboriginal Energy in Promoting Clean Energy

Aboriginal Energy has been a driving force behind the clean energy movement in Nagaland, and its work at the Hornbill Festival only strengthens the company’s commitment to creating sustainable solutions for rural communities. Through its innovative approach, Aboriginal Energy has provided essential power solutions in some of Nagaland’s most underserved regions, helping improve the quality of life for villagers, health centres, and schools.

The solar morung project is an extension of the company’s mission to promote renewable energy sources that reduce the reliance on non-renewable fuels, lower carbon footprints, and improve the overall energy infrastructure of the region. As the company continues its work across Nagaland, it aims to play an even larger role in transforming the state’s energy landscape.

Looking Ahead: Solar Energy and Sustainable Tourism in Nagaland

The Hornbill Festival’s solar morung initiative’s success serves as a reminder of how important sustainability is becoming to the travel and tourism sector. Incorporating clean energy solutions into Nagaland’s tourism infrastructure may be crucial to drawing eco-aware tourists as the state looks to increase its appeal as a top travel destination. It is hoped that Nagaland will keep looking for new ways to combine its rich cultural traditions with cutting-edge solutions that promote both environmental and economic sustainability, using the solar morung project as a model.

Nagaland’s tourism and energy industries are expected to flourish in the future, and with sustained efforts to adopt clean energy, the area could serve as a model for other states and nations pursuing sustainable development.