In so-called primitive culture, the practice of hospitality was an honored discipline. Indigenous peoples had a heightened sense of duty to the stranger in their midst. Often separate rooms or structures were set aside for travelers needing a place to rest before continuing on their journey. People were welcomed and graciously received, food was offered without thought of recompense. To turn away a visitor was to break an unwritten code of community conduct.
— Thea Jarvis, Every Day Hospitality