The name Ratana conjures for many the strong links it shares with the Labour Party, links that began in 1925 with a visit by a young Harry Holland, a member from the newly-formed Labour Party.
Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana's aunt and uncle saw his visit as a means for Maori to have a voice with the new Labour Party, which was seemingly sympathetic to the concerns of Maori regarding the Treaty of Waitangi.
In 1928, Ratana announced his intention to enter politics, referring to the four Maori seats as the ''four quarters'' of his body. He aimed to win these seats through the voting power of his followers. In 1932, Eruera Tirikatene, whose grandson is a current Labour MP for Te Tai Tonga, became the first Ratana MP when he won a by-election for Southern Maori. He was instructed to support the then Labour opposition. Ratana favoured the Labour Party because it had consulted his supporters when devising its Maori policy.
When Labour won a landslide victory in 1935, the Ratana movement took a second seat, Western Maori. The alliance between the church and the Labour Party was cemented at an historic meeting between Wiremu Ratana and Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage on April 22, 1936. In 1943, the Ratana-Labour alliance succeeded in capturing all seats. Labour went on to hold the seats until 1993 when a young New Zealand First candidate, Tau Henare, took Northern Maori.
Since then, the relationship between Ratana and Labour has foundered in places. New Zealand First captured all the Maori seats at one stage. The Maori Party's influence in New Zealand's political sphere allowed it to capture some, but not all of the seats, only to lose Te Tai Tonga to Labour in 2011.
This year, Ratana again has taken centre stage for politicians of all hues. The annual pilgrimage to the Ratana Pa has become a significant event in the political calendar.
Prime Minister John Key has urged, during his visits, for Ratana to support the Government. Despite the movement's historical relationship with Labour, it is National which has made a difference, he says. National has fast-tracked Treaty of Waitangi settlements, signing off significantly more than Labour achieved in its last nine years in office.
Labour Party leader David Shearer this year took the unusual step of breaking with tradition by staying on at the church's anniversary celebrations an extra day - a day usually zealously reserved for worship rather than politics. Mr Shearer pledged last year to meet regularly with the Ratana movement. Since then, he has hosted the church elders at Parliament and met them several times. Labour is also now in discussions with Ratana about whether it will become an affiliate to the party. This will give Ratana some influence over candidate selections and voting power in future leadership elections.
Mr Shearer is also facing opposition for the Ratana vote from the Green Party, with party co-leader Metiria Turei addressing the celebrations for the first time. Ms Turei, from Dunedin, reminded those present that her father took her and her family to Ratana every year and that she is no stranger to the marae.
Also in the limelight at Ratana is the Maori Party, which is now dealing with the fall-out from MP Te Ururoa Flavell declaring his intentions to unseat Pita Sharples as co-leader. The party's national council says there will be no immediate change, but as Mr Shearer can attest, media attention on leadership challenges remains high. Mana Party leader Hone Harawira also claims Maori Party members have asked him to return as the leader and proposed a merger of the two parties.
Suddenly, a symbolic visit to Ratana Pa to celebrate the birthday of the founder has taken on even greater significant implications. The Government is pointing to its record of helping end longstanding grievances, Labour is trying to rebuild its long-standing relationship, the Greens are looking for more support, the Maori Party has proved it can deliver social programmes for Maori, and Mana provides the incentive for all other parties to maintain whatever links they believe they have with Ratana. The Ratana movement is set to continue playing a key role in the evolution of New Zealand politics.
