The Balinese are a friendly folk with a strong sense of community. In fact, in some places the community is so tight they hold feasts where everyone is split into groups before proceeding to eat from the same plate! This is known as megibung, an ancient tradition that emerged in the 17th century in feudal Bali.
In the late 1600s one of the kings of Karangasem was engaged in a war for territory with the forces of the kingdoms of Lombok. When it was time to take a break and fill up the soldiers’ stomachs the king ordered that everyone had to eat together. This became known as megibung. The king even participated in the practice and joined his soldiers for eating and drinking. Today, megibung is practiced in many villages, especially after religious ceremonies or banjar meetings.
Eating from the same plate is really fun and connecting! The plate is usually a large and circular tray with a huge portion of rice, meat, and vegetables. Each group (usually 4-7 people) gets one plate and they have to sit around the plate (on the floor!). Before everyone can begin the eldest of the people gathered usually opens with a prayer. Then everyone digs in! Of course, everyone has to eat with their hands. When eating from the same plate there are some unwritten rules to consider. One must first take a reasonable handful of rice. After that they can take bits of meat and vegetables to put inside the handful. Then, they can eat. If there’s any food left in the hand one must discard it in a small banana leaf that is provided for everyone. Make sure that you don’t put the food back on the tray! Other rules include not laughing, talking or making loud noises while eating. Eating must be observed with reverence and silence. Only when everyone has finished can the event end. “What started together must end together” goes the Balinese proverb.
Culture-wise, megibung is an inclusive activity that encourages togetherness. Back in feudal Bali the caste system was heavily observed. Royalty did not mingle with commoners. Social life was separated into invisible barriers. But the tradition of megibung aimed to break down these barriers and build a sense of togetherness among the people.
Today, megibung is often observed in rural areas where the community is closer and smaller. But that doesn’t mean megibung can’t be done on a larger scale. In fact in 2006 the regent of Karangasem organized a massive megibung event which involved around 20,000 people! The event was recorded as the largest megibung ever according to the Indonesian Museum of Records.
It just goes to show that wherever there’s food, there’s bound to be community!
