Uzbek Navruz Sumalak Stirring at Szczecin Waterfront

Cool blue twilight settles over the waterfront promenade in Szczecin, where low-hanging clouds diffuse the emerging city lights into a soft, electric haze. In the foreground, a large, shallow copper cauldron rests on a portable burner, filled with a thick, amber-colored wheat paste known as sumalak. Several people wearing traditional Uzbek robes and tubeteika caps stir the mixture with long wooden paddles in a rhythmic, synchronized motion. Behind them, the dark water of the Oder River reflects the warm glow of streetlamps and the faint orange light from the cooking fires. The scene is framed by the modern steel architecture of the city rising in the background, against the ancient, earth-toned textiles of the participants. A thick steam rises from the bubbling pot, catching the blue ambient light as the crowd watches intently.