"MEGIBUNG TRADITION IN KARANGASEM"

"MEGIBUNG TRADITION IN KARANGASEM"

Bali is a Province of Indonesia. The capital of this Province is Denpasar. At the beginning of Indonesia's independence, the island was included in the Lesser Sunda Province of thousands of cities in Singaraja, and is now divided into three provinces: Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. Besides consisting of the island of Bali, the province of Bali also consists of smaller islands in the vicinity, namely Nusa Penida Island, Nusa Lembongan Island, Nusa Ceningan Island, Serangan Island, and Menjangan Island (Wikipedia, 2017a). Geographically, Bali is located between Java Island and Lombok Island. The majority of Bali's population are Hindus. In the world, Bali is well known as a tourism destination with its unique art-culture variety, especially for Japanese and Australian tourists. Bali is also known by the nickname of the Island of the Gods and the island of a thousand temples.

Bali has a variety of unique traditions and cultures that are inherited from ancestors or past, which are still well developed into an interesting performance in the era of contemporary modernization. One of such traditions is a joint meal or called megibung in Karangasem Regency of Bali. This tradition seems timeless, almost in everyone who has a celebration and involves the crowd, while enjoying the occasion of the dining tradition of this megibung will be held.

Karangasem Regency is a district located on the eastern side of the island of Bali. In addition, to the tradition of megibung are a number of unique traditions survive sustainably until today such as the tradition of Megeret Pandan (Mekare-kare) in Tenganan, Gebug Ende in Seraya and Ter-teran in Jasri. Karangasem also has many interesting attractions, some of which are quite popular are Candidasa, Besakih, Telaga Waja rafting, Amed, Tirtagangga, Tulamben, Tenganan, Padangbai and Taman Ujung. The tourism industry is developing well enough, so there is nothing wrong if you vacation to Bali, also scheduled tour to the tourist area of ​​East Bali (Pasek, 2017).

Culture or tradition of megibung is not only in Karangasem, but there are some other places in Bali such as Klungkung, even some places in Lombok Island. However, the Karangasem Regency still holds this tradition quite well, and in almost all districts of Karangasem or East Bali still holds Megibung event in a traditional ceremony such as wedding ceremony, cut teeth /potong gigi, otonan and three monthly children, melaspas, piodalan, even during Ngaben ceremony. Including the moments of mutual assistance such as building a community house involving neighbors and relatives, at the time of the event with megibung way (Pasek,2017).

If you are unfamiliar with how to eat together, this will certainly feel weird and awkward and many things raged in your thinking. However, in a celebration, the host also prepares a buffet meal, so the guests can choose whether to choose megibung or buffet. Usually, at the time of wedding invitations and reception events, the invitees will be served buffet dishes, while the relatives and residents who help in preparing the food will enjoy it more in megibung way.

Culture and tradition of Megibung has actually existed for a long time in the era of the kingdom of Karangasem, and until now still exist sustainably. There are several terms in the megibung tradition, such as "sele" meaning part of the group of people who join and sit together to enjoy the megibung tradition. They usually sit in circles with the number of participants about 6 people. Then, the term "gibungan", is a bundle of rice with mats (from coconut leaves) and placed on a tray. There is the term "karangan", is a side dish like lawar, kekomoh, white and red nyab (coconut), pademare, urutan, marus, balah and sate, this type of side dishes vary according to ability of the host.

Every sele is composed of all men or women who do not mix. They sit around in circle and eat together. Prepared water for hand washing, water pitchers were used widely but now they are changed into bottled drinking water. Then in a sele, there is one person who is tasked to put or raise a side dish in a gibungan, and even then there is a sequence like kekomoh and urab first, then lawar, meat and last is a balah. Considering a place or arena in a meal together with this megibung, can arrive at several periods depending on invitations that come, in a period may consist of several and ten of sele (Wikipedia,2017b).

This together meal is unique. There is no difference, sitting in togetherness. Usually, the people who come in a celebration of traditional invitations are local people. So, in one sele, they already know each other. They eat together occasionally while joking and brainstorming. The impression is so relax, enhance friendships and get to know more, and the rice eaten together is a natural thing to be added back, while the side dishes are not allowed. So, eating together in megibung way ensures the participants will be very satisfied. There is no doubt or embarrassment to add more.

At the time of eating, as much as possible in order not to splatter, let alone scattered on the tray is not allowed. So, the impression does not eat the rest of the food sprinkling others. Even if the food is spilled, it must be outside the tray. Although there are no written rules in the traditions or megibung events, the megibung participants also should not spit, sputter, sneeze, yell, laugh loudly, etiquette and other manners, including when one megibung participants are full, cannot leave the place, start together and end together (Wibara, 2015).

To preserve this Megibung event or tradition, on December 26, 2006, the regent of Karangasem at that time, Mr. I Wayan Geredeg, held a megibung event in Taman Ujung Karangasem tourism object. It involved all components and layers of society and invitation until followed by 20,520 participants and recorded in MURI record in that it was followed by 20,520 people from various layers and community components in the Karangasem region and hundreds of other invitations (Sunarta,2009).

What is described above about the Megibung tradition in Karangasem is the general picture only. It is certainly that rules and ordinances are slightly different due to differences in place, condition and time of implementation. So, the principle of megibung is togetherness, then what about the people who are sometimes suspected of having black magic that often happens in society, in such cases people are suspected of having black magic then the obligation of the host who has a celebration will get around this. It is legitimate to participate in a group of selves. There should be no discrimination here because the core and purpose is no difference, prioritizing togetherness and equality.

References

Pasek,N. (2017) Tradisi Megibung di Karangasem. Retrieved from: http://www.balitoursclub.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Tradisi-megibung-di-Karangasem-Bali.jpg accessed on December 10 2017.

Sunarta, W. (2009) Megibung, Tradisi Makan Bersama Penuh Aturan Ketat. Retrieved from: http://www.balitoursclub.net/tradisi-megibung-di-karangasem/ accessed on December 10 2017.

Wikipedia (2017b) Megibung. Retrieved from: https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megibung accessed on December 11 2017.

Wikipedia (2017a) Bali. Retrieved from: https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali accessed on December 11 2017.

Wibara. (2015) Tradisi Unik Megibung di Bali. Retrieved from: https://wisatabaliutara.com/2015/05/tradisi-unik-megibung-di-bali.html/ accessed on December 20 2017