The penultimate King Atamu Tekena of Easter Island ceded the island to Chile (represented by Captain Policarpo Toro) on 9 September 1888. Ika was one of "to'opae" (advisors) to sign the agreement. However, the treaty of annexation was never ratified by Chile and Toro's colony failed. The Chilean government abandoned the settlement in 1892 due to political troubles on the mainland, which was embroiled in civil war, and this prompted the Rapa Nui to reassert their independence.