Spiders, porcupine, and civet cat: Hornbill Festival menu shocks UK tourist in Nagaland

What a food menu looks like at Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival has once again become the talk of the internet, after a tourist from the United Kingdom shared his stunned reaction online. The festival’s traditional food stalls, known for serving rare and indigenous dishes, displayed a menu featuring items such as silkworm larvae, snails, spiders, grasshoppers, porcupine meat, palm civet cat meat, venison, and game bird preparations.

The unusual menu, though everyday fare for many Naga communities, left tourist Alex from the UK visibly astonished. In a video that has since gone viral, he is seen standing in front of the stall at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, reacting with disbelief. “This is the craziest menu I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said, pointing to the list of dishes rarely found in restaurants in his home country.

The Hornbill Festival, celebrated every year from December 1 to 10 and often called the “Festival of Festivals”, attracts thousands of visitors eager to experience Nagaland’s diverse tribal culture, food, and traditions. For locals, the dishes showcased at the festival represent centuries-old practices rooted in identity, survival, and the philosophy of using every part of an animal without waste.

The online reaction to the video has been mixed. While many expressed shock, others offered clarifications, with one user noting: “Just FYI, the civet cat is a wild species found in the jungle, not the domestic cat people keep at home. Important to clarify so the video isn’t misleading.”

Despite concerns raised about the inclusion of meat from certain wildlife species such as porcupine and civet cat, both considered endangered in various regions, such items continue to appear at some stalls during the festival.

As the 10-day celebration continues, the Hornbill Festival once again showcases not only the cultural richness of Nagaland but also the bold and diverse palate that has long been part of Naga heritage.