Gastronomic authenticity and culinary innovation in the Banggai ethnic community during the Sea Sea Festival

Abstract This study examines how gastronomic authenticity and culinary innovation are negotiated within festival-based culinary practices of the Banggai ethnic community in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Drawing on an ethnomethodological approach situated within an anthropological and cultural heritage framework, the research investigates how traditional dishes are interpreted, performed, and adapted in the context of the Sea-Sea Festival. Data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews with eight key actors including traditional cooks, community leaders, and young assistants and visual documentation of cooking practices. The analysis applies thematic analysis to explore how authenticity is socially constructed and legitimized within local culinary practices. The findings reveal that authenticity in Banggai gastronomy is negotiated through three interconnected dimensions: authority and legitimization, performative representation, and adaptive innovation. Community elders and experienced cooks function as cultural arbiters who validate ingredients, techniques, and narratives of tradition. At the same time, the festival setting transforms culinary practices into performative displays where authenticity is publicly enacted and interpreted by both local participants and visitors. Innovation occurs through selective adaptations in ingredients, presentation, and cooking techniques, reflecting ecological constraints and tourism-related opportunities. By conceptualizing authenticity as a negotiated cultural process rather than a fixed attribute, this study contributes to broader discussions on gastronomic heritage, performative authenticity, and the role of food festivals in sustaining local culinary traditions while enabling adaptive creativity in tourism contexts.