In this episode, the host shares intimate stories from Tonga, American Samoa, Hawai'i, and Aotearoa about couples blending different cultural traditions—weavers and carvers, feast-makers and dockworkers, hula and city rhythms—who learn to create stronger lives through mutual learning and small acts of reciprocity.

Drawing on island wisdom and literary voices, the episode explores emotional intelligence in relationships, inviting listeners to listen deeply, make space for both worlds, and build shared paths where every thread is honored.

Aloha — Host Ruth Kongaika explores whether emotional intelligence and artificial intelligence can coexist, emphasizing that while AI excels at processing information and boosting efficiency, it cannot feel meaning, grief, love, or belonging. This episode focuses on human responsibility, the danger of emotional outsourcing, and why EQ cannot be replaced by tools.

The key message: role clarity — let EQ be your compass and AI your tool. When emotional intelligence leads, technology serves; when ignored, technology shapes behavior. Pause to reflect on where you can bring more emotional awareness into your relationship with technology.

Aloha, malolele, and talufa.

This episode explores how Hawaiian values like ho‘oponopono, laulima, and mana can help us balance artificial intelligence with emotional intelligence. It contrasts mainland efficiency with island presence and offers simple practices— a 60-second digital pause, an Aloha reflection journal, and daily acts of connection—to keep our humanity at the center of tech-driven life.