Student Blog

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Celebrating a Year of Fortune with Sumalak

Do you know where Uzbekistan is? It's located in the heart of Central Asia, with two-thirds of its land covered by grasslands and deserts. Beh, who is from this country, was a friendly housemate from my previous share house and helped with my move.
When we had a meal together at the beginning of the year, I asked him about how the New Year is celebrated. Like many countries with a majority Muslim population, the New Year falls on March 21st, and it’s called "Nowruz" in Persian.

On this day, people in the village prepare a sweet, jam-like food called "Sumalak." A large pot is prepared, and wheat and water are simmered for a long time. Each person adds nuts and small stones to the pot and stirs it. Meanwhile, there is entertainment such as singing and dancing, creating a lively atmosphere.
The actual eating happens the next day. If you find a nut or a stone in your portion, it’s believed to be a sign of good fortune for the coming year. Beh shared that before coming to Japan, he would always find nuts in his portion, and this brought him continued luck. It reminds me of how Japanese people draw omikuji (fortune slips) at shrines to predict their fortunes.

The children of Beh's relatives dancing at Nowruz. They don’t eat the pebbles, of course, but keep them as souvenirs.

This is my fifth time introducing a friend. Recently, I was awarded the "ANDO Momofuku Honor Prize" for my extracurricular activities, including contributing to this column and planning international exchange events with Beppu citizens, as well as for my academic performance. I also had the honor of delivering a representative speech at the graduation ceremony. I am grateful to the people of Oita for allowing me to end my university life with such good fortune.

Saido-f Behruz Jiyodzu Raevich
(Nickname: Beh)
Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies, 2nd year

(Published in the morning edition of the Oita Godo Shimbun on March 26, 2024)

Kodai Doi

Nice to meet you! I'm Kodai Doi, Beppu Onsen Master and a 4th year APS student.
As a YouTuber, I am currently sending out new content about international exchange, travel, studying abroad, etc. at APU! Through my SPA activities, I hope to provide useful information for APU students, as well as for many people outside of APU, including high school students and their parents, to read! (Graduated in March 2024)