As Nagaland reopens the question of who qualifies as indigenous, the state’s own founding moments offer a clearer answer than today’s exclusionary tests
As Nagaland enters its 63rd year of statehood, the debate over indigeneity has returned to the centre of public attention. The State government’s recent decisions, first to enumerate only four non-Naga indigenous tribes for proof of pre-1963 settlement, and then to freeze the ongoing Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) process for them until a court verdict, have produced anxiety among the State’s smallest indigenous communities. These moves raise a fundamental question: who counts as indigenous in Nagaland, and by what historical measure?
To answer this, it becomes necessary to revisit the event that laid the groundwork for Nagaland’s identity as a political community.
Nagaland’s path to statehood
As Nagaland celebrates its Statehood Day on 1 December, marking its journey as the 16th state of the Indian Union, it is important to reflect on the architects of the state. While 1 December 1963 is etched in gold as the day of formal inauguration, the foundations of this state were laid three years earlier, with the formation of the Interim Body in 1961. Born out of the 16-Point Agreement between the Government of India and the Naga People’s Convention (NPC), this 42-member body was constituted on February 18, 1961, to function as a de facto Legislative Assembly.
To truly understand the spirit of Nagaland at a time when the indigeneity of the state’s minority indigenous group, such as the Kacharis, is at stake, let us look back to the morning of 18 February 1961 in Kohima. The Films Division documentary capturing this event illustrates the region’s deep diversity and unity. On this historic day, people from all over the present Nagaland gathered in strength to witness the memorable event, the birth of the Interim Body and Executive Council for Nagaland – the first step in the direction of full-fledged statehood within the Indian Union after its separation from Assam.
The atmosphere in Kohima was electric, not just with political anticipation but also with a profound cultural resurgence, as different tribes from across Nagaland descended on Kohima to celebrate their shared identity and a new beginning. General S. M. Shrinagesh, the then Governor of Assam, arrived in Kohima for this ceremony, he was welcomed by Dr. Imkongliba Ao, President of the Naga People’s Convention. The event saw all 42 members of the Interim Body, representing 16 tribes, standing together.
Founding Partners, Not Outsiders
The swearing-in ceremony was a solemn affair, yet it was surrounded by the vibrant pulse of Naga culture and other indigenous groups. The video film captures members pledging themselves to the Constitution of India. Resplendent in traditional costumes, troupes from various tribes performed gay dances and songs. Notably, the footage includes performances by Kachari troupes, distinguishable by their unique traditional attire and rhythmic dance forms.
Members of the Kachari tribe took part, demonstrating their historic role in Nagaland’s creation. This visual evidence from February 1961 serves as a powerful historical record, countering modern exclusionary narratives by showing that the Kacharis were present, active, and celebrated as integral partners in the birth of Nagaland.
Led by Dr. Imkongliba Ao as Chairman and Shri P. Shilu Ao as the Chief Executive Councillor, this Interim body was not merely symbolic. Over a tenure of three years, it held 10 rigorous sessions—two in 1961, five in 1962, and three in 1963. It was their stewardship that paved the way for the second President of India, Shri S. Radhakrishnan, to inaugurate the full-fledged State of Nagaland on December 1, 1963.
From architects of Nagaland to outsiders
This narrative is incomplete without acknowledging the presence and participation of the Kachari community. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their Naga brethren as architects of the new state. In contemporary discourse, historical revisionism occasionally seeks to blur the indigenous status of the Kachari people by characterizing them as recent migrants from neighbouring Assam state. However, the 18 February swearing-in ceremony of the Interim body of 1961 offers irrefutable evidence to the contrary.
Standing among the 42 members representing the 16 tribes of Nagaland was Shri Debalal (Devlal) Mech, a prominent Kachari leader. As Debalal Mech took the solemn pledge, it was a definitive moment: the Kacharis were not observers on the sidelines; they were founding partners. The inclusion of a Debalal Mech, a Kachari representative (of about 2,376 Kacharis, according to the 1961 Census) underscores that the tribe was politically integrated and a recognised stakeholder.
When the Interim Body gave way to the First Nagaland State Legislative Assembly (1964-69), Debalal Mech continued his service as an elected MLA from Dimapur and was elected thrice to the State Assembly. He served as a member of Estimates Committee and the Subordinate Legislation Committee. He was joined in the First Assembly by another member from the Kachari community, Shri Gobind Paira. Known for his sharp parliamentary acumen, Paira acted as Chairman of the Assurances Committee and was instrumental in holding the administration accountable.
Until the 1980s, Kachari candidates continued to win at least one Assembly seat out of three from Dimapur in every state election. The last political representative from the community was Lolit Mech, who got elected in 1982. Since then, the Kacharis have remained unrepresented in the State Legislative Assembly.
A need of recognition not exclusion
At 63, there has been a march towards achieving social and economic equality in Nagaland. However, such policies to give social and economic justice have remained absent for non-Naga oldest indigenous minority inhabitants like the Kacharis. With less than 01 % of state’s total population (as per 2011 Census), the community is poorly represented and faces significant social and economic backwardness. The community have often hesitated from freely voicing their concerns because of the fear of reprisal, and for some reason, their shared predicament and historical ties have failed to be perceived as indigenous lately.
Conclusion
As the state turns 63, let us remember that Nagaland was built on the collective aspirations of all its indigenous children. The visuals of Kachari troupes dancing in Kohima in 1961 and the record of leaders like Debalal Mech and Gobind Paira shaping our first laws serve as a timeless testament: the history of Nagaland is their history too. This history of political participation serves as a counter-narrative to claims of the recent migration of Kacharis into the State. Despite comprising less than 01% of Nagaland’s population (as per 2011 Census), their foundational political presence underscores the depth and continuity of their historical belonging.
Dr. Santosh Hasnu
Member, Centre for Tribal Studies,
University of Delhi
&
Assistant Professor
in History
Hansraj College,
University of Delhi