Ihakara Te Tuku Rapana MBE (8 November 1886 – 21 June 1968), commonly known as Ike Robin, was a New Zealand sportsman, businessman, orator and member for the Māori Anglican Church.

As a lay reader of the Anglican church he was closely associated with many prominent members of the clergy, such as Bishop Frederick Bennett, and other notable figures as Te Puea Herangi and Sir Turi Carroll.

He was the second of four children born to Ihakara Rapana, a member of the Ngāti Raukawa, and Riripeti Te Aue Roberts (or McRobert).

[1][2] Although he received a primary education, Robin left school at age 15 to become a chauffeur and mechanic for Napier businessman George Donnelly.

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

While at Mangaohane station in Taihape, he reached his highest personal tally, setting a record of 358 sheep in 8 hours 20 minutes.

He eventually became the biggest contractor in Hawke's Bay[2][4] and, at the peak of his success, Robin employed over 100 workers for both shearing and general farm work.

At one competition in Napier he participated in the shot-put, hammer throw, caber toss, high jump, tug of war and two styles of wrestling.

The event, held by the Hawkes Bay Wrestling Association, attracted a crowd of 12,000 among whom included then Governor-General Sir Charles Furgusson.

[9] On 16 March 1925, he defeated Sunni in two straight falls in Auckland to win the NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship, and a £750 purse,[10] becoming the first champion[4] officially recognised by the National Wrestling Alliance.

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

[20] By 1932, Robin was in full training in preparation for a comeback[21] and, after a six-year absence, had his first return bout against Finnish wrestler Peter Limutkin at the Wellington Town Hall on 18 July 1932.

The Evening Post noted "Against Peter Limutkin he did not show anything which would give hope of his performing creditably against a visiting wrestler approaching his own weight.

Robin certainly won, but that was all, and the match can best be written down as just another effort on the part of the [Dominion] Wrestling Union to give a local man a chance to prove his worth".

His 21 July match against younger Māori wrestler Toa Kaha, for example, went to the full four rounds amazing the audience "at the endurance shown by both Native giants".

[26] Throughout the 1933 season, he challenged George Walker for the NWA New Zealand Heavyweight Championship and was considered a top contender for the title, along with Harry Mamos and Rumberg, by the end of the year.

He also became active in politics, being involved with the Labour Party,[2] and corresponded with a number of government figures, including governors general and prime ministers, as well as president of New Zealand Māori Council Sir Turi Carroll, a close and lifelong friend.

[1] In the 1950 New Year Honours, Robin was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for social welfare services to Māori, particularly in the Church of England sphere.

[30] As an elder of the Ngāti Kahungunu, he frequently appeared as an orator at tribal ceremonial events throughout his life, even when afflicted by severe rheumatism and arthritis in his old age.