When I read your brief and the word 'jungle' was involved all sorts of images popped into my head...but to me the jungle has a tribal element to it and the totem pole is a tribal icon...tribes also used to/still do trade their wears/foods etc and I know that spices & herbs have been/ are being traded the world over. The totem pole also felt exotic...- I feel spices are exotic...
Hope that this helps...please let me know if you would like to see any further alterations etc