Interpreting George Town World Heritage Site Through Sensory Ethnography
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Date
2021-03
Authors
Kuah, Li Feng
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Following recent development in the anthropology of perception and
knowledge that increasingly acknowledges the importance of multisensory
experiences, this study takes a sensory ethnography approach to study people and place
at George Town. George Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
2008 for its unique multicultural heritage. This study aims to offer an alternate way to
conceptualise multicultural way of living in George Town as a series of multisensory
correspondence. Borrowing from leading anthropologist, Tim Ingold, the concept of
human correspondence is based on the understanding that when two lifelines meet or
correspond to form a knot, they produce an inner feeling for each other. This inner
feeling is what makes the lifelines stick together. In order to make sense of the
“multicultural way of living”, this study identifies and investigates several knots of
multisensory correspondence in George Town. These knots are food, festivals,
language and place. By unpacking the meanings of the knots, this study reveals that
the trend of multisensory correspondence in George Town is based on shared values,
which is changing according to the specific given time. It is hoped that the concept of
“correspondence” in this study will inspire more people-centred approaches in heritage
planning and management for a sustainable future of GTWHS. Finally, following the
tradition of sensory ethnography that emphasises on reflexivity, an autoethnography
account is included to reflect on the ethnographer’s position in the study.
Description
Keywords
Social sciences , Heritage