The involvement of the Papuan elite was influential in the 1962 New York Negotiations, refuting the notion that they were backward or passive. Their role in history deserves to be acknowledged and reviewed objectively. To obtain data, the method used is historical reconstruction. This study aims to identify 1) the Papuan political elite involved in the struggle for Papua's political status (1949-1961), 2) strategies used by Papuan political elites in fighting for Papua's political status from 1949-1961, 3) the impact of the involvement of Papuan political elites on social and political dynamics at that time. The results of this study show that 1) Papua's political elite comes from various professions, including teachers, police, and government employees, such as Corinus Krey, Silas Papare, and Martin Indey, who side with Indonesia. At the same time, Johan Ariks, Nicolaas Jouwe, and Lodewik Mandatjan support the Netherlands. 2) The Papuan political elite held important meetings, drafted resolutions, sent letters, and participated in meetings in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and the Netherlands. 3). The struggles of the Papuan political elite do not always have a direct impact on colonial or Indonesian policies. However, Papuan political awareness is also growing, forming identity and aspirations in the struggle.