This year's Ratana celebrations could mark more Māori drifting away from the Labour Party, a political analyst says.

The Prime Minister will attend commemorations of the Church's founder today, while other political leaders and parties will pay their respects at Ratana Pa tomorrow.

Labour leader Andrew Little will lead his own delegation tomorrow, which includes the party's Māori caucus.

AUT history professor Paul Moon told Mike Hosking this morning Ratana's strong relationship Labour is weakening, and many Māori are "Cutting Labour loose, gradually saying 'look Labour hasn't served us over the past several decades as well as it could have, Labour hasn't been in power for almost a decade so we want to hitch a ride with some that can affect change'."

Moon believes the stars are aligning for the Māori and Mana parties to take most of the Māori seats that Labour holds now.

 

LISTEN TO MOON'S FULL INTERVIEW WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE