The effigy of the hornbill is used by Chin State Peoples Council for the State emblem. The emblem was adopted on the unanimous recommendation of all Township People's Councils within the state in identification of Zo cultural life with the noble image of the hornbill.

All sources of Zo tradition commonly say that hornbills are noble birds. According to tradition they lead a married life just as men are doing. Like men, the bride is taken from the distant place and brought to the bridegroom. While laying egg the female bird is enclosed within a fence so that it cannot move and is fed mouth by the male bird. If any sign of destruction is found with the fence the female bird is accused of being unfaithful and is pecked to death by the male bird. It is said that if one of the couple died the living one also killed itself. Hornbills are never known to destroy the crops in the field nor live on flesh; but they live only on fruits.

Therefore, they are viewed as sacred and noble-sacred in the sense that they lived a simple life. They are noble because the beautiful life characterized by love and faithfulness. Thus hornbills are much respected and honored by the Zos. According to tradition marriage is regarded as a kind of contract tied with love and loyalty. Thus a marriage is considered to be 'unbreakable' or 'inseparable' except by the event of death. A wife cannot be divorced so long as she remains faithful to her husband. This idea of a faithful life expressed in the married life of the hornbill is taken as the symbolic expression of the love for one's wife who is likened and referred to as hornbill. Zo people proudly put on hornbill feathers on important occasions in self-identification with the dignity and honor that the hornbill exemplifies. J.Suan Za Dong once described the cultural beauty of the hornbill in identification with Chin people and their state as thus:

Two hornbills stately and dignified,
For loyalty and honor so proudly pose
symbolizing CHIN in culture rich and sound
Splendors of our state; fresh like a rose
scenic beauties and flowers in our land abound.

Based on this traditional background, the physical image of the hornbill has been adopted to symbolize the dignity and honor that the Zo's simple life express. The emblem has been chosen to signify the 'inseperable tie' between the Zos and other national groups of the union, and in reflection of Zo traditional loyalty to the historical  community named the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma.

(The Hornbill Emblem is an article published in the GUARDIAN, February 20,1986 issue; the author Gal Ngam is the pen-name of  Sing Khaw Khai.)
The effigy of the hornbill is used by the Zomi as National emblem. The emblem was adopted in identification of Zomi cultural life with the noble image of the hornbill.

The hornbills are noble birds. According to tradition they lead a married life. Like man, the bride is taken from the distant place and brought to the bridegroom. While laying egg the female bird is enclosed within a fence so that it cannot move and it is fed mouth by the male bird. If any sign of destruction is found with the fence the female bird is accused of being unfaithful and is pecked to death by the male bird. It is said that if one of the couple died the living one also killed itself. Hornbills are never known to destroy the crops in the field nor live on flesh; but they live only on fruit. Therefore, they are viewed as sacred and noble – sacred in the sense that they live a simple life. They are noble because they live the beautiful life characterized by love and faithfulness. Thus hornbills are much respected and honoured by the Zos. According to tradition marriage is regarded as a kind of contract tied with love and loyalty. Thus a marriage is considered to be ‘unbreakable’ or ‘inseparable’ except by the event of death. A wife cannot be divorced so long as she remains faithful to her husband. The idea of a faithful life expressed in the married life of the hornbill is taken as a symbolic expression of the love for one’s wife who is likened and referred to as a hornbill. Zo people proudly put on hornbill feathers on important occasions in self-identification with the dignity and honour that the hornbill exemplifies.

Based on this traditional background, the physical image of the hornbill has been adopted to symbolize the dignity and honour that the Zo’s simple life expressed. The emblem has been chosen to signify the ‘inseparable tie’ existing among the Zomi in India, Burma and Bangladesh

(Source: Sing Khaw Khai, “Zo People and their Culture,” 1995, p.194)

FUN FACTS

1. Hornbills' first two neck vertebrae have been fused to support their large bill. Though its bill looks quite heavy, is actually very light; it is made up of thin-walled hollow cells, somewhat like a hard sponge. 2. This species is the largest of the hornbill species found on the Indian subcontinent. 3. It is said that the wing beat of a great hornbill can be heard more than a half mile away! 4. This hornbill is able to consume as many as 150 figs within one meal! 5. Hornbills are famous for their nesting ritual. Once courtship and mating are over, the female finds a tree hollow and seals herself in with dung and pellets of mud. The male gathers the pellets from the forest floor and swallows them, later regurgitating small saliva-cased building materials. He then gives them to the female who stays inside the nest leaving a slit for a window big enough to receive food and materials. For the next 6-8 weeks the male feeds the female through this opening. She does not emerge until she has molted and re-grown fresh feathers and her young is feathered. 6. Some male hornbills are so exhausted after the nesting process that they may die.

 

• Local tribes believe that the parts of the Great Hornbill carry great powers. The blood of chicks is said to have a soothing effect on departed souls and before marriage, tribesmen use their feathers for head-dresses. Conservation programmes have attempted to provide tribes with feathers from captive hornbills and ceramic casques/beaks to substitute natural ones.
• They have a loud call which can be heard up to 800 metres away.
• It is said that the wing beat of a Great Hornbill can be heard up to half a mile away!
• Although its beak/ bill looks extremely large and heavy, it is actually quite light consisting of hollow, thin-walled cells a bit like sponge made of keratin (the same material human hair and nails are made of). Despite this, two of the neck vertebrae are fused to cope with the extra weight.
• A hornbill can eat up to 150 figs in one meal.
• The breeding process can be so intensive for the male that they will sometimes die shortly afterwards of exhaustion.
• It is not known what the exact purpose of the casque (the outgrowth on the bill) is for, but it is probably important as an indication of the age, sex and status of an individual bird.