Ikaika is a graduate of ‘Iolani School and has a master’s in Political Science from UH Manoa. He was a delegate to the first Hawaiian sovereignty constitutional convention, from 1999-2001, and is a co-founder of MANA – Movement for Aloha no ka ‘Aina. He was noted as one of the “Ten who made a difference” by the Honolulu Advertiser after his involvement in the occupation of UH’s Bachman Hall to protest the UARC.