Pineapples; Georgia’s symbol of hospitality
When I moved down to Georgia, I was curious about all the carved pineapples that adorned headboards, bed posts and armoires. They were also carved into the backs of dining room chairs, printed on wallpaper and woven into linens. Some were even cast into silverware. “Why not peaches?” I asked myself. After all, peach orchards dotted the state and Georgia ordained the peach as its state fruit in 1995. I had not spied pineapples being cultivated anywhere on Georgian soil. Surely, the peaches must feel just a bit insulted!
A Bit of History
Research led me back to the second voyage of Christopher Columbus and a visit to a Carib Indian village. Apart from being cannibals, the Carib Indians appeared to have been hospitable people. It was their tradition to leave baskets of fruit, including the pineapple, outside of their huts. One taste of this sweet fruit convinced Columbus to take it back with him to the sugar-deprived courts of Europe. It instantly became a hit! King Charles even had an official portrait painted of himself receiving the new culinary treasure.
All the Rage
Meanwhile pineapples began to make appearances along the English colonial seaboard and were highly coveted as a symbol of royal privilege. They usually were sold to bakers for sweets but it was possible to rent one for prestigious events. There it could be gazed upon and marveled at, but never, ever, eaten! That is how the crowned fruit became the symbol of welcome and hospitality.
And the Mangoes???
So,….what do pineapples have to do with mangoes and my drawing? As I learned in Mexico, the mango is also an incredibly delicious tropical fruit. The venders slice a ripe mango, sprinkle it with lime juice and plant it on a stick. Oh, and don’t forget to ask for a dash of chili seasoning. Soooo good!
Mangoes; My Mexican Symbol of Hospitality
One of the Cora Indian families that I’d come to know, was renting some undeveloped land which included a tiny concrete building. Its two rooms were as hot as an oven inside and uninhabitable. However, they also had an enormous mango tree in their yard. Its embracing branches rocked a baby in its hammock, while its foliage blocked the piercing heat of the sun and stirred up a soft breeze. It was a comfortable place for the entire family to gather. In the afternoon, the father mended his shrimp nets, while the mother and daughter hand stitched beautiful traditional designs on woven bags. Whenever I came to visit, they invited me to sit down under the the shade of the “mangero” with them. If it was the right season, they offered mangoes to me. No royal banquet could rival the treatment that I received. The pineapple may have become famed throughout the world, but for me, the mango became the ultimate symbol of home and hospitality!
