The Naga Club and Simon Commission memorandum mark the beginning of organised pan-Naga political expression in the twentieth century. Before this period, the village and tribe shaped political life in the Naga Hills. Different communities had their own institutions, customary laws and territories. The Naga Club created an early common platform through which educated Nagas, government employees, village representatives and former members of the Naga Labour Corps could discuss questions affecting the wider Naga people.
For NPSC, the importance of the Naga Club lies not in its size but in the political idea it expressed. Its memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929 placed the future constitutional position of the Naga Hills before a British statutory body. Later Naga organisations repeatedly referred to this document when explaining the historical roots of Naga political aspirations.
Conditions Behind the Naga Club and Simon Commission Memorandum
British administration, mission education, roads, government employment and inter-tribal contact were gradually changing the Naga Hills. Men serving as Dobashis, teachers, interpreters, clerks and members of the Labour Corps met people beyond their own villages. This did not erase tribal identities, but it widened political awareness.
The Naga Labour Corps in the First World War had a special influence. Hundreds of Naga men travelled to France during the war and returned in 1918 after experiencing a larger world. Their shared journey encouraged the belief that people from different Naga tribes could act together on matters of common concern.
The Naga Club is generally dated to 1918. Some historical accounts place its initial beginnings in 1917, but 1918 is the date most commonly used in Nagaland history and competitive examinations. It operated as a social and political association rather than a modern mass party.
Composition and Early Character of the Naga Club and Simon Commission Movement
The Club brought together a small but influential group of educated Nagas, government servants, Dobashis and Labour Corps returnees. Dobashis were important because they understood both local customary institutions and the working of the colonial administration. Nine signatories of the Simon Commission memorandum were Dobashis.
Universal voting did not elect the membership, and the Club did not possess branches in every village. We should therefore not describe it as a fully representative legislature. Its historical importance came from its attempt to speak across village and tribal boundaries at a time when no other common Naga political body existed.
Why the Simon Commission Came to India
The British Parliament appointed the Indian Statutory Commission in 1927 under Sir John Simon. Its task was to review the working of the Government of India Act, 1919 and recommend further constitutional changes. Indian political parties strongly opposed the Commission because it had no Indian member.
For the Naga Club, however, the Commission created an opportunity. Constitutional reforms discussed for British India could determine whether a new provincial political system would absorb the Naga Hills. The Club wanted the Commission to hear directly from the people of the hills before making such a decision.
The Memorandum of 10 January 1929
When the Simon Commission visited Kohima, the Naga Club submitted a memorandum dated 10 January 1929. The document explained how social life, laws, customs and historical experience distinguished the Nagas from the peoples of the plains. It stated that the various Naga communities had not previously formed part of a common political system with Assam.
The memorandum warned against automatically including the Naga Hills in a reformed provincial arrangement without public consent. Its best-known request asked Britain to let the Nagas determine their own future when British rule ended. The language was brief, but the political meaning was clear: outside forces should not impose a change in constitutional status.
Naga Club and Simon Commission: Main Arguments in the Memorandum
- The Nagas possessed social practices and customary laws different from those of neighbouring plains communities.
- They had limited experience of modern electoral and provincial government.
- The British-administered Naga Hills represented only part of the wider Naga-inhabited region.
- Inclusion in a new political arrangement without consent could threaten customary institutions and control over land.
- The future of the Naga Hills required a separate and careful constitutional approach.
The memorandum did not present a detailed constitution, administrative machinery or economic programme. It was primarily a statement of political identity and a warning against placing the Naga Hills within a larger province without consultation.
Historical Significance of the Naga Club and Simon Commission
First, the Club helped transform a collection of village and tribal concerns into a wider Naga political question. Second, the memorandum created a written record that later organisations could cite. Third, it introduced the principle of consent into discussions about the constitutional future of the Naga Hills.
The Club also established an organisational line that later passed through the Naga Hills District Tribal Council to the Naga National Council. The demands and methods changed over time, but the attempt to create a common political voice remained.
Limits of the Naga Club and Simon Commission Memorandum
A balanced answer should recognise its limitations. The signatories came mainly from groups connected with administration, education and Kohima. Women and many remote villages did not participate directly in drafting it. The memorandum also used general language and did not resolve how different Naga communities would form a common political structure.
These limits do not make the document unimportant. Early political organisations often begin with a small group. Its lasting influence came from the fact that it expressed a constitutional claim before the transfer of power became immediate.
Difference Between the Naga Club and Simon Commission and Later Organisations
The Naga Club was an early association seeking recognition of a distinct political position. Formed in 1946, the Naga National Council developed a more organised programme during the final transfer of British power. By contrast, the Naga People’s Convention followed a different path from 1957 by negotiating for a state within the Indian Union.
Therefore, a balanced answer should not treat these bodies as identical. They emerged in different political circumstances, used different methods and proposed different settlements.
NPSC Prelims and Mains Points
For Prelims, remember four facts: the Club is generally associated with 1918; its political background included Labour Corps returnees and Dobashis; the memorandum was submitted at Kohima on 10 January 1929; and the Commission was headed by Sir John Simon.
For Mains, explain the transition from village-centred politics to pan-Naga political consciousness. A good conclusion should state that the memorandum did not create a final constitutional plan, but it made consent, identity and a separate political future central to later Naga history.
Continue with the history of the Naga National Council. The full subject sequence is available on the Nagaland PSC Notes page. Students preparing the complete syllabus may also use the Nagaland PSC Foundation Course 2026–2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Naga Club formed?
It is generally dated to 1918, although a few accounts trace its beginnings to 1917. For NPSC, 1918 is the standard answer unless a question provides a specific source.
What did the Naga Club ask from the Simon Commission?
It asked that the Naga Hills should not be placed automatically under a reformed provincial system and that the Nagas should be allowed to determine their future when British rule ended.
Why is the 1929 memorandum important?
It was the first widely recognised written statement of a common Naga political position before a formal British constitutional commission.