33 Facts About Ike Robin

Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana, commonly known as Ike Robin, was a New Zealand sportsman, businessman, orator and member for the Maori Anglican Church.

Ike Robin was an elder of the Ngati Kahungunu and especially active in charity work and philanthropy on behalf of the Maori people.

Ike Robin's efforts were recognized and was awarded the Order of the British Empire.

Ike Robin was the second of four children born to Ihakara Rapana, a member of the Ngati Raukawa, and Riripeti Te Aue Roberts.

Ike Robin's mother was of Scottish and Ngati Kahungunu descent.

Ike Robin began shearing sheep at 20 years old and had a highest daily tally of 150 sheep in his first year.

Ike Robin increased this to 200 a year later and, in his third year, he achieved the title of 'gun-shearer' with a 300 tally.

Ike Robin eventually left Te Mata to find work for other shearing contractors and travelled as far as Wanganui and Turakina for employment.

Ike Robin regularly competed in the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society shows.

Ike Robin soon became a shearing contractor and his gangs were highly sought after by stations throughout Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington.

Ike Robin eventually became the biggest contractor in Hawke's Bay and, at the peak of his success, Robin employed over 100 workers for both shearing and general farm work.

Ike Robin was able to offer work and accommodation to young homeless Maori, and worked with social welfare agencies in Napier and Hastings.

The freezing works at Whakatu and Tomoana caused Ike Robin's shearing contracts to decline as many of his men left his gang and chose to find work independently rather than as a contract worker.

Deeply religious, Ike Robin became a lay reader in the Anglican church in 1911 and served in this position for nearly 60 years.

Ike Robin was a friend and close adviser to the first two Maori bishops appointed to the Anglican Church, and served under other prominent members of the Maori clergy.

Ike Robin was often called to deputise for ministers who were unexpectedly needed to perform other services.

Ike Robin regularly provided donations of meat, vegetables, transportation and other services to the Maori Anglican Church.

Ike Robin accompanied his personal friend, Bishop Frederick Bennett, throughout New Zealand as a supporter of his ministry.

Ike Robin attempted to enlist in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War but, in spite of his physical prowess, was rejected by the New Zealand Army due to flat feet.

Ike Robin had two children with his first wife, Mata Kato, prior to her death in 1917; both children died in infancy.

Ike Robin had a son from an earlier relationship with Mare Hape, who was raised in Dannevirke, and had two adopted sons as well.

Ike Robin especially began to excel in wrestling and, after winning the North Island catch-as-catch-can wrestling championship at the Taihape Caledonian games on 24 January 1924, he decided to turn professional later that year.

Also during that year, Ike Robin wrestled World Light Heavyweight Champion Walter Miller in the earliest-known outdoor wrestling match in New Zealand.

Four months later, accompanied by former Scottish heavyweight champion and manager Alec Bain, Ike Robin travelled to Australia with Sunni and Japanese wrestler Koraeda where he defended the national heavyweight title in a rematch against the Walter Miller.

That year, he was on the first wrestling event ever held in Brisbane Stadium where Ike Robin defeated Peter Limutkin.

Zbyszko later praised Ike Robin's wrestling abilities claiming that few wrestlers could equal Ike Robin for strength and that "with proper training for two months or so, he would be a world-beater".

Ike Robin chose to compete in his home country because there were so few local professionals active at the time it was difficult to earn a living and he decided to retire.

Ike Robin briefly came out of retirement to compete for the Wellington Wrestling Association in 1930, refereeing some preliminary amateur bouts at the Wellington Town Hall, and visiting American wrestler Ed "Strangler" Lewis expressed interest in wrestling Robin for the NWA Australasian title.

The 49-year-old Ike Robin was now nearing middle age and in the midst of a changing business decided to retire.

Ike Robin became active in politics, being involved with the Labour Party, and corresponded with a number of government figures, including governors general and prime ministers, as well as president of New Zealand Maori Council Sir Turi Carroll, a close and lifelong friend.

Ike Robin was familiar with Maori leaders, such as Te Puea Herangi, and met with royalty as a representative of the Maori people of Hawke's Bay.

Ike Robin's condition grew so severe that he eventually became bed-ridden and, on one occasion, had to be carried out of his home by one of his grandsons when his bedroom caught fire.

Ike Robin died at Kohupatiki on 21 June 1968, survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.