Tradisi Megibung, Gastrodipomacy Raja Karangasem

This study aims to find out other functions of food and eating traditions from only gastronomy to gastrodiplomacy in the community, by understanding the mission and vision of the Megibung tradition as a means of sosial control in the community both past and present and future, and the role of the lokal government in building a lokal culinary image into a creative economy. The research method used to solve or answer all the problems that exist in this study is a qualitative method. The results showed that the Megibung tradition since the beginning of its history had been created as a means of diplomacy for the farming community in the fields, then developed into a means of diplomacy for the consolidation of war troops by the king of Karangasem in seizing Sasak. In the post war it was used for inter-ethnic reconciliation facilities (Sasak and Bali) and people (Islam and Hinduism) in supporting the existence of the power of the kingdom of Karangasem. Then in peacetime this became a cultural means of building solidarity in the unity and unity of society from the lower to the top, as well as the means of diplomacy between nations with the concept of glow (globalization of lokality) without sosial and material class dividers. Given the high value of the Megibung culture, which in this global era began to get challenges because of the existence of a more simple and practical catering (buffet). For this reason, a rescue program is needed to prevent extinction from the times. The heritage of this tradition must be maintained and revitalized so that it can be passed on to future generations by making it as a means of developing a creative economy in Karangasem. Through the Megibung tradition the young generation can learn apprenticeship in processing various types of traditional Balinese cuisine which can be used as a provision for capital expertise in the creative economy business in tourism, which simultaneously has also helped preserve the sustainability of the Megibung cultural tradition itself. Therefore, the Karangasem Regional Government must be able to encourage the development of sustainable cultural tourism towards a creative economy that prioritizes the satisfaction of culinary or gastronomic tourism in particular. Keywords: Megibung Tradition, Gastrodiplomacy, King of Karangasem