Welsh Folk Artists Gareth Bonello & Mari Mathias to Perform at Hornbill Festival 2024

Get ready for a fascinating blend of Welsh and Naga cultures when renowned Welsh folk singer-songwriters Gareth Bonello and Mari Mathias perform at the highly anticipated Hornbill Festival in December 2024. This historic festival, also known as the Festival of Festivals, will mark its 25th anniversary at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, near Kohima, Nagaland. The 10-day event attracts tourists from all over the world and provides a beautiful display of tribal traditions, music, and folklore.

The Hornbill Festival is India's largest tribal cultural celebration, bringing together an unusual mix of performances, handicrafts, rituals, and gastronomic delights to celebrate the Northeast's rich and diverse cultures. This year's event is even more unique because Wales is the official partner country for the Wales in India 2024 program. This collaboration highlights the developing cultural ties between Wales and India, with both countries hoping to celebrate their shared artistic spirit via music, dance, and storytelling.

Mari Mathias: A Contemporary Folk Voice.

Mari Mathias, who is from Wales, sees this concert as an exciting opportunity to offer her evocative, contemporary folk music to an altogether new audience. Known for her deep lyrics and rich, melodic sound, Mathias will play two solo shows during the festival. Her performances promise to be a deep dive into the emotional resonance of folk music, blending the personal and the universal. But that's not all—she'll be collaborating with Seyievinuo Chuzho, a great Indian musician from Nagaland, to create a unique combination of Welsh and Naga musical traditions. Their cooperation will undoubtedly be one of the festival's highlights, demonstrating the richness of cross-cultural musical exchange.

Gareth Bonello: The Gentle Good Returns to Hornbill.

Gareth Bonello, popularly known by his stage name The Gentle Good, will return to the Hornbill Festival following a standout performance in 2013. Bonello is a popular personality in the Welsh folk music scene, recognised for his peaceful, melodic compositions and passionate lyricism. His music, which combines traditional folk sounds with contemporary elements, has earned him a devoted audience. His return to Hornbill promises to provide a new, yet familiar vibe to the event, and Bonello fans will be ecstatic to hear his captivating melodies again in the stunning Naga setting.

Bonello's performance at the Hornbill Festival brings him full circle, as he recalls his first visit to the region more than a decade earlier. "There is something wonderful about the Hornbill Festival. "It's the ideal platform for sharing the universal language of music with such a diverse and welcoming audience," he said in a recent interview.

A Shared Musical Journey

The 25th anniversary of the Hornbill Festival promises to be a magnificent event, and the presence of Welsh performers such as Bonello and Mathias adds an intriguing layer of international flavour to the festivities. The event, which combines tribal heritage, contemporary music, and international collaborations, celebrates music's ability to bring people together across nations and countries.

As the Hornbill Festival's popularity grows, the Wales in India 2024 program represents a watershed moment in the two countries' cultural cooperation. Bonello and Mathias' concerts will not only commemorate the beauty of Welsh folk music, but will also highlight the possibilities for artistic collaboration in an increasingly globalised society. So, whether you've been a long-time lover of Welsh music or are new to the scene, the Hornbill Festival promises to be an amazing cultural event in December.

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