The Roce
What is it?
The literal translation of the word Roce (also spelled as Ros) is juice.
The freshly squeezed coconut milk is an integral part of the roce ceremony.
This ceremony is equivalent to the Haldi Ceremony in the Hindu community.
The ceremony is held a day or two prior to the wedding day.
The ceremony includes anointing by the coconut oil and application of pure coconut milk followed by a ritual hot water bath. The ceremony is held separately at the bride’s and groom’s residence.
Significance of the Roce Ceremony
Roce ceremony symbolizes the last day of bachelorhood and spinsterhood for the bride and groom.
It also signifies a shift or change from single life to married life.
The ceremony also symbolizes washing away the sins and purifying the soul for marriage. The hot water bath, which follows the anointing, is also a vital part of the ceremony.
Why is Coconut used in the Roce Ceremony?
Goa and Karnataka lie on the coastline of the country.
As a result, there is an abundance of coconut trees here. Since ages, coconut is an integral part of the lives of all those who live along the coastline. From curries to desserts, it is a part of various local cuisine delicacies.
Coconut also became a significant part of various traditional celebrations held within communities living across the coastline, including the Catholic Community.
Roce symbolizes purity, just like the white coconut milk. Coconut comes from nature and use of it in the pre-wedding ceremony shows our dependence on our Creator and Mother Nature.
Similarly, in Biblical times, oil was used to anoint the kings and leaders to bless them. Moreover, we are also well aware that oil massage for babies has many benefits for infants.
Therefore, oil is symbolically applied to the bride and groom as a sign of blessing and strengthening the marriage.
How is the Roce made?
The process of extracting coconut milk is quite simple. An only odd number of coconuts are used depending on how much roce is required. This further depends on the number of guests expected at the function.
The internal white portion or meat of the coconut also commonly known as the coconut kernel is grated into finer pieces. These grated pieces are then soaked for some time in a little hot water to release the milk or juice from the kernel. The juice is then squeezed out from the kernels using a muslin cloth.
Most of the time, the coconut milk is extracted during the ceremony is on. The scraping of the coconuts is usually done by the elder sisters, sister-in-law, aunts, etc.
The important part is that the coconut milk for the roce should be squeezed by hand only. However, if there is a larger quantity of roce required, a mixed can be used.
The oil is usually store-bought in many families. However, there are still a few households that use homemade coconut oil.