BY SUZY STUMP for WEEKLY VOLCANO 8/15/25 |
When Jesse and Janice Salas step into Spanaway Park this month, they won’t just be hosting a party—they’ll be carrying forward generations of island tradition. Jesse, who grew up in the village of Piti on Guam, remembers his late father, David Blas Salas, not only as the village’s former commissioner but as a man whose voice and presence carried the spirit of his home. That legacy now lives on in the family’s first year leading the Piti Fiesta in Washington State.
The event, celebrated in different states over the years, was meant to come to Washington before the pandemic put the plan on hold. Now, after years of waiting, the Salases are ready to do it justice—minus the religious elements some fiestas include. “In our case, we are just celebrating the village,” Janice explained.
If the heart of Chamorro culture is its hospitality, the soul is in its food. At the Piti Fiesta, long tables will groan under platters of red rice, barbecue ribs, and chicken, alongside dried beef. Side dishes will offer kelaguens—chicken, beef, deer, octopus, shrimp, clam, and fish—plus spinach in coconut milk, grilled eggplant in coconut milk, pancit, potato salad, taro, and tapioca in coconut milk. These aren’t just recipes; they are heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next.
For the Salases, the fiesta is as much about the future as it is about the past. “Our culture survives through celebration—and the more we honor it, the longer it thrives,” Janice said. “It’s essential to teach the younger generation how to carry on traditions and organize events like this, especially while living far from our island home.” She added that first-time visitors will likely be surprised by the scale and spirit of the gathering. “I hope they understand how powerful our culture is and how hospitable we are, even away from Guam.”
Music and dance will fill the air, connecting guests to the island’s roots. Live performances and cultural dancers will weave movement and melody into the fabric of the day, while vendors showcase clothing, jewelry, and other cultural treasures.
It’s a celebration of place, yes—but more than that, it’s a reminder that traditions live as long as people gather to honor them. And on this day in Pierce County, Piti will be very much alive.
The First Annual Piti Fiesta in WA State is happening on August 16th at 2 p.m. at Spanaway Park Shelter D, Spanaway WA.
