T. W. Ratana

Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana
Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana
Born	25 January 1873
Died	18 September 1939 (aged 66)
Occupation(s)	Faith healer, church leader, farmer
Notable work	The Blue Book (te pukapuka whakamoemiti)

Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana (25 January 1873? – 18 September 1939) was the founder of the

faith healer

.

Beginnings

Rātana was of the

Ngā Rauru Kiitahi, his mother belonging to the Rangitaawhi

Hapū.

He married Te Urumanao Ngāpaki Baker, who had whakapapa links to the Ngāti Ruanui, and possibly Te Āti Awa also.

Rātana began his spiritual mission during the

First World War, he saw a small cloud coming in from the sea toward his house. When the cloud 'broke open' he was overwhelmed by a presence and he rushed into the house declaring 'Peace be unto you all, for I am the Holy Spirit that speaks to you all. Straighten yourselves. Repent.' He was told the Holy Spirit was looking for a people through whom God could be truly known and accepted. The Māori people had not forgotten Jehovah and so they had been chosen to become an example to the world if only they would turn from their dependence on tohungaism (particularly the manipulative forms of witchcraft) and Māori gods. Rātana was told to unite the Māori and turn them to Ihoa o nga Mano (Jehovah of the Multitudes).^[1]

He continued his study of the Bible and began one of the most powerful faith healing ministries in New Zealand history. He gained a large following among Māori, becoming known as "Mangai" (a mouthpiece of God). A splinter group, called the Christian Maramatanga Society, formed in the mid-1920s when they misinterpreted Rātana's call to 'close the Bible' in order to stop fanciful prophecies.

Variants of his name include Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, Tahu Pōtiki Wiremu Rātana and T. W. Rātana.

Politics

From 1922 onwards the Rātana movement became increasingly occupied with politics. The movement campaigned for ratification of the

Te Puea

. By 1943, the seats had been won, although Rātana had died in 1939.

Legacy

The Rātana Church remains one of the largest churches in Māoridom. The political links with the Labour Party remained strong for over 40 years, but were effectively divided by the rise of the

Māori Party, which was founded in 2004 and came to power in a confidence and supply agreement (with the National Party, Labour's traditional rival) after the 2008 election

.

References

^ Ratana the Prophet, Keith Newman, Penguin 2008

External links

[1] Ratana the Prophet, Keith Newman, Penguin 2008

[1]

Authority control databases
International	FAST ISNI VIAF
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Artists	Te Papa (New Zealand)