Tarik had to break his favourite rare instrument to make another
The makers of a rare instrument and a collection of hundreds of calligraphic manuscripts feature in a film project opening the new Powerhouse Parramatta in November.
Tarik Hussein, a Sydney-based musician and engineer, once believed there were only 10 kanuns in Australia when he started playing the instrument in 2006. The kanun, a precursor to the piano, is played by plucking 78 strings with fingers while it rests on the player's lap. As he began teaching the instrument, Hussein discovered that importing kanuns from Turkey was a challenge due to their rarity and fragility.
He resolved to become the sole maker of kanuns in Australia by partnering with his father-in-law, who possessed a home workshop and enjoyed challenging craft projects. The duo reverse-engineered Hussein's favorite kanun, resulting in a unique Australian version that needed over a year to craft. Hussein and his father-in-law's passion for kanuns is showcased in a new film series, Moments in Waiting, launching at a festival marking the opening of Powerhouse Parramatta.
The series highlights significant objects from the Islamic world found in Sydney's suburbs and emphasizes the stories within those objects, celebrating migration and cultural diversity.
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