Betawi is not only famous for its Egg Crust(kerak telor), but also Crocodile Bread (roti buaya). Bread is one of the things that must be provided in a traditional Betawi wedding ceremony. Roti Buaya is a typical food from Jakarta (Betawi Tribe), sweet bread with various contents inside with flavors such as chocolate and strawberry made from wheat flour, sugar, margarine, salt, yeast, milk powder, eggs, and coloring, and all ingredients are stirred and stirred until smooth, then shaped like a crocodile and roasted until cooked.
Crocodile bread is always present in Betawi traditional wedding ceremonies. Betawi people believe that crocodiles only marry once, so this bread is believed to symbolize fidelity in marriage. Usually the crocodile-shaped bread is about 50 centimeters long, sometimes even up to one meter and is carried by the groom at the wedding, because the male crocodile symbolizes the character and nature of a groom, Crocodiles are traditionally considered patient (in waiting for prey). In addition to loyalty, the crocodile also symbolizes stability. Crocodile bread is said to be inspired by the behavior of crocodiles who only mate once during their life, the bread is believed to represent the loyalty of the couples who will get married. Crocodiles are also mighty animals that can live in two worlds. This means that the crocodile symbol is used as a hope that the household will be strong and can survive wherever they live. Bread in the form of a crocodile also has a meaning as a symbol of reliability, because in colonial times bread was a food for the upper class. No wonder the crocodile shaped bread has an important position in the Betawi community because it aims for married couples to serve each other, have a better future, and can live in prosperity and stability until the end of their lives. Therefore, every Betawi wedding procession, the groom always brings a pair of large crocodile-shaped bread, and small crocodile bread which is placed on top of the bread symbolized as a Crocodile Woman.
Crocodile bread has both history and philosophy. The presence of crocodile shaped bread in Betawi traditional weddings has been influenced since the arrival of Europeans to Indonesia in 1511 on a Portuguese expedition under the leadership of Afonso de Albuquerque, European culture shows their love for someone by giving flowers, so the Betawi people at that time considered the need for another symbol to express love to someone. So the crocodile shaped bread was chosen as a symbol of love in Betawi culture, Crocodile bread is even used as a symbol of a Betawi community tradition because in the past there were many crocodiles in 13 rivers that spread in various areas in Jakarta which functioned as transportation routes, irrigation and other things that were very useful for the Betawi people in Jakarta, and the crocodile was considered a sacred protector of the area. which used to be swampy as guardians of natural ecosystems and life, and these crocodiles by the Betawi people are considered as guardians of springs that can be useful for the people of Jakarta.
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