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The Chief From Kahnawàke
One of the most colourful characters in British wrestling history. Undoubtedly a huge name in British professional wrestling by virtue of the tremendous impact of his headdress and haircut in his initial 1960 appearances at a time when Cowboy and Indian films were still popular. Billy Two Rivers at his best was certainly a sight to behold.
Graham Brook wrote: “By far the most exciting fight I saw him in was at The Sports Centre, Newark, against Kendo Nagasaki which finished with them both fighting outside the ring (I forget whether the result was a double count out or a double disqualification). I got the last seat available and many punters had to be turned away. Touts were operating outside the hall and offered me three times what I had paid for the ticket so must have obviously felt confident of reselling it for that and more.”
Invariably pitched against one of wrestling’s villains the fans eagerly awaited the little wardance before polishing off his opponent with his famed tomahawk chop finisher. The routine was well rehearsed and that was the problem. It all became a bit too predictable and the predictability led to unbelievability.
It was all so different when he arrived on our shores at the beginning of October, 1959. Within a week he had caught the attention of fans around the country, beaten Gwyn Davies at the Royal Albert Hall and was quickly followed by two television appearances. The nation was hooked. He certainly made an impression on Ron Historyo who watched him on tv in November, 1959, when he was about six years old, “Then there was a distraction. Looked like a chief to me, full war bonnet. Could it be, were we safe? Was he really here in England? Well I goggled and my eyes never left the screen. Never had I seen anything like it, a war dance going on here in this country. Of course it finished with a chop and cheers.” Roll on fifteen or so years and Ron confronted the native American once again, “The last time I saw Billy Two Rivers was in 1974 at the Lancastrian Hall in Swinton on a Jack Cassidy show. Well past his best, but memorable.”
While some fans have been critical of Billy’s over-familiar routine Dave Sutherland was able to assure us there was much more to him than a tomahawk chop: “I saw him live in a 1-1 draw against Dennis Mitchell; one of the top three bouts I ever saw. No heel involved but plenty of needle and all action; a draw being a fair result.”
Billy had been a professional for about six years when he came to Britain. Wrestling in Ohio in 1956 one opponent that cropped up quite a few times may well have been instrumental in bringing Billy to Britain. That wrestler was a young Scot just starting out on his wrestling journey, Ian Campbell. We certainly don’t know, but it may well be that Ian told Billy of the opportunities in Britain and he may well have out in a good word for the Canadian with British promoters.
Whatever brought Billy to Britain we gather he liked it, because he was set to stay for six years. In those six years he faced just about all the big name heavyweights, though we ponder of the significance of finding no matches with Billy Robinson beyond 1960. Billy returned to do the rounds again in 1973 and 1974.
Billy returned to Canada and continued wrestling for another two years. Following retirement he fought some of his greatest battles, but not in the ring. In 1978 he was elected a councillor of the Kahnawake reserve and devoted his life campaigning for the rights and welfare of Native Americans. He served ten consecutive terms, until 1998, as a Council member. He played an important role in the 1990 Kanehsatà:ke Resistance, which was a land dispute between the Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec, when a golf course was planned which would build on sacred burial grounds.
Billy worked vigorously for the preservation of Kanien’kéha, which was his first language. In 2019 he was honoured for his contribution to the development of the Kahnawà:ke Language Law.
Billy Two Rivers: Born 5th May, 1935; died 12th February, 2023.
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