My dad, Hemi Ngarewa, was Koko's first-born. He met my Irish, red-haired, green-eyed, freckle-faced mother, Colleen Cleasby. We're not sure if it was his amazing Elvis Presley swish-back fringe or his platform shoes that won her heart. Whatever it was, it was a big deal for both families, as Mum was the first Pākehā to ever marry into his whānau, and Dad was the first Māori ever to marry into hers. We live a real-life Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership. Mum was a better reo speaker than Dad, and Dad prided being on the bench as a JP. With Mum's brains and finesse and Dad's brawn and stubbornness, you can imagine the Irish-Māori negotiations going on in our household.