Matiu Rātana

Matiu Rātana, son of Tahupotiki Wiremu Rātana, was a New Zealand politician and president of the Rātana Church.

Political career

A son of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, the founder of the Rātana religion, Matiu Rātana was a younger brother to Haami Tokouru Rātana, whom he succeeded to the Church Presidency, and to the Western Maori electorate after his brother's death in 1944.
Matiu Rātana died on 7 October 1949 in Wanganui Hospital after a car accident. He was succeeded by his wife Iriaka Rātana as MP. She was the first female Māori MP.