Written by: Telile Fikru Badecha on September 20, 2013

Reading Doing Sensory Ethnography, by Sarah Pink is a great eye opener to see where I need make changes in my approach to ministry and a great tool for my future research. I appreciate that Pink clearly depict the limitation of classical observational methods for ethnography. Sara Delamount, defines of ethnography as something done by living with the people being studied, “watching them work and play, thinking carefully about what is seen, interpreting it and talking to the actors to check the emerging interpretations” (pg.9) However, by contrast, Pink comes up with “ …alternative, and ultimately valid, ways of seeking to understand and engage with other people’s worlds through sharing activities, practices and inviting new forms of expression.” (pg.9) Therefore, for Pink, sensory ethnography is not simply observing and writing descriptive information about people but an approach that requires ethnographers to take part in events and activities that matter to their informants. Coming from a society that is very much involved in each other’s lives, I do see the challenges of not knowing how to be involved in a culture that is more independent. However, as complex as every culture is, people seem to care about relationship and desire to be known and understood.

Pink succinctly explains a set of principles, such as perception, place, knowing, memory and imagination, as imperative for doing sensory ethnography. She believes that one of the goals of the sensory ethnographer is “ to seek to know places in other people’s worlds that are similar to the places and ways of knowing of those others.”(pg.23) I found this goal helpful for missional leaders and communities who wish to reach out to others with the good news of Jesus. Most common mistakes that I have seen in my ministry experience with my church is that we tend to depend solely on our evangelistic strategies and social events to bring others to our “places” (such as churches or place where we feel comfortable), rather than going where those people live and feel comfortable. The command that Jesus gave to His disciples was to go to and make disciples of all nations, which requires leaving one’s own situation and going to someone else’s. (Matthew 28)  Also, we read stories of Jesus and his disciples meeting people wherever they are.  The story of the Samaritan woman is an example of Jesus going to others are and approaching them in their own world.

Another important piece that I enjoyed reading in this book is the discussion around “ our bodies.” Contrary to some scholarly writings, which tend to separate body and mind, Pink proposes “an emplaced ethnography that attends to the question of experience by accounting for the relationship between bodies, minds and the materiality and sensoriality of the environment,” (pg.25) which are pivotal in the practical accomplishment of ethnographer’s fieldwork.  I do think using our ‘multisensory embodied engagement’ approach is equally important for mission leaders and missional communities. When we take time to look, listen, play, touch, smell, and share meals with our informants, we are enabled to understand other people’s cultures and way of living through participating in activities. Then we will know how to address their physical and spiritual needs.

Sensory ethnography is unique in that it doesn’t require any special preparation. As  the author says, it often involves unanticipated smells, tastes, sounds and textures and unexpected ways of comprehending these.”  (pg.45) It is not unusual to hear people say that they sense God calling them for service or to do this or do that. I remember a visiting youth pastor from one of our partner churches who visiting our work in Africa and told us that she sensed God’s calling in her life go return to Africa as a missionary.

Over all, Pink’s insights are very helpful both for my current cross-cultural ministry and future academic research projects.

Pink, Sarah, Doing Sensory Ethnography (London, UK: Sage, 2012

About the Author

Telile Fikru Badecha