Because of the way certain mechanisms of the modern age work, the Hawaiian islands are very deeply connected to the pineapple. Visitors to most of the islands would probably reasonably suspect that the fruit will garnish a traditional meal in some way, and travelers with a Go Oahu Card will very likely find themselves tempted to visit the farms and plant where pineapples are grown and prepared.
In terms of archaic symbols of hospitality, the pineapple ranks very high and is hard to beat. Guests in all parts of the world enjoy being greeted by a pineapple, and even if travel makes it too difficult to carry, it’s always a nice gesture. Like any nice gesture that involves food, there is a complicated history here.
As some students of history might imagine, the pineapple is not exactly native to Oahu. The climate of course is rather stunning, and almost perfect for this unusually sweet fruit, but its origins in the world are much further south. They were cultivated in Brazil first, and early cultures took the knowledge with them as they traveled to the Caribbean. When European explorers first encountered them, they took the fruit, or the stories about them, back home, and soon enough they became a very coveted item at royal parties. They were very closely connected with royalty, in fact, until agricultural knowledge could catch up to start growing them locally. By the time they made it back from Europe to the Americas, it was already history in the making.