It was nearly six weeks before Enoka and Ataraita Ngatai realised they had both been named recipients of the New Year Honours for 2011.
The Ngaiterangi and Ngati Ranginui husband and wife were awarded a Queen's Service Medal in recognition for their services to Maori - but both had no idea the other was a recipient until Christmas Eve.
Mrs Ngatai said this was because they had to keep it secret until the news was formally announced today.
With a cheeky grin she said that she managed to keep quiet even when a second letter from the Governor General arrived to confirm their recognition.
"We both got one but we still didn't tell each other. Then on Friday, Christmas Eve, I got another one and he got one," she said.
"I just saw her letter and said 'I got one too'," Mr Ngatai said.
The couple share plenty of laughs about this, although both were at first reluctant to accept the honours.
Mrs Ngatai said she did not consider herself in the same league as other recipients.
She would have easily dismissed the nomination if it were not for the fact someone had taken the effort to nominate her.
"It would have been churlish of us not to show appreciation of it.
"I thought 'if it's going to be helping somebody', often Maori kids need mentors or role models - not saying we are, but there might be something we might have done at some stage."
Mrs Ngatai was recognised for her involvement in setting up the Turirangi te Kani Scholarship for tertiary students, run through Tauranga Moana Trust.
The scholarship gives $750-$2000 to six students a year. She also helped set up Te Matahauariki o Tauranga Moana - a Maori education organisation dedicated to improving the educational achievement of Maori students from early childhood to tertiary levels.
She is also the current chairwoman of Te Awanui Hauora, which operates on Matakana Island where Mr Ngatai was born and raised.
Mr Ngatai was the chairman of Tauranga Moana Maori Trust Board for 12 years and was also involved in setting up the Tuirangi te Kani Scholarship.
Mr Ngatai was the foundation chairman of the Matakana Island Trust for 15 years and the husband and wife have contributed to the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, the University of Waikato and Tauranga Boys' College.
Mr Ngatai said "the young ones" had since come on board with the trust and he wished them well.
The couple said they had a lot of help raising their family, while taking on board their extra responsibilities over the years.
Mrs Ngatai said it was for this reason all those people who helped were just as deserving of the honours as she and her husband.
The couple, who will celebrate their 56th anniversary on January 15, look forward to sharing their "secret" news with family over a dinner now that it has been formally announced.
See today's Bay of Plenty Times for the full list of National Honours.
There's no telling with this couple
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