An Island that Eats Together

(6/27/2012)

In a tradition that traces its roots back to 1692, Balinese warriors from Karangasem once took their meals from common plates before setting off to do battle with Sasak tribes on neighboring Lombok.

The meals, called a Megibung followed strict rules of menu and dining protocols – all meant to instill camaraderie for the shared battle that lay ahead.

The passage of the intervening centuries has loosened original rules that mandated a menu using only pork items to now include the modern variants of chicken, goat and even beef in the megibung's fare.

Unchanged, however, is the communal fellowship of shared goals and tasks that inspired the megibung shared meal more than three centuries ago.

Reviving the grandeur of the ancient megibung, Uma Ubud will host a special dining event on Saturday, July 28, 2012 at the resort’s Kemiri Restaurant. Appropriate to the shared challenge that characterizes this Balinese culinary rite, the proceeds from the Uma Ubud event will assist worth causes in the community.

Preparing the evenings meal with be the executive chef of the Uma Ubud Heidi Flanagan and Bali’s ‘raw’ food pioneer Diana von Cranach.

The evening commences from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm with drinks and canapés at the Uma Ubud’s poolside accompanied by music from a traditional rindik ensemble. A silent auction in support of the nominated charities will also get underway during cocktails.

Dinner will be served between 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm featuring a rare Palawakia performance. Combining dance, song and trompong performance – Palawakia was revived in the 1970s after a lapse of nearly four decades. The performance requires the physically challenging kebyar style of terompang playing, with singing roles performed by warrior dancers.

The Bali charities to benefit from Uma Ubud’s salute to Balinese food and culture are the Sari Hati Foundation (Essence of the Heart Foundation) and the Yayasan Anak Pemuteran (Pemuteran Children’s Foundation).

Sari Hati Foundation is a small volunteer and community-based educational centre located in Banjar Lungsiakan—the same village that is home to  Uma Ubud. The center provides a nurturing environment for mentally disabled young adults and their families, assisting the children’s assimilation into the local community.

The Yayasan Anak Pemuteran provides support to junior and senior high school students for children from Pemuteran, in northwest Bali. The foundation helps more than 100 children continue their schooling and supports a small warung that in their community that teaches school leavers basic food and beverage skills.