Born in Rotorua district about 1815, Te Rangikāheke probably learned to read and write in the mid-1830s at the Church Missionary Society station established by Thomas and Anne Chapman at Te Koutu.

In the early 1850s he lived with Grey and was paid an annual salary to act as Grey’s mentor and collaborator. He helped Grey achieve his aim of learning the Māori language and to collect Māori poems, songs and stories for publication.