Career
A younger brother to Haami Tokouru Ratana he succeeded to the Church Presidency, and to the Western Maori electorate (from 10 February 1945, after a by-election) after his brother"s death in 1944. Matiu Rātana died on 7 October 1949 in Wanganui Hospital after a car accident. She was the first female Māori Member of Parliament.