Abstract
In Irish mythology, Ogma is regarded as the progenitor of the written word and is considered the inventor of a writing system that emerged in the fourth century. The following reflective essay is based on the cover artwork “Ogma”, which was created for the special issue “The Value of Ethnographic Writing” of the Irish Journal of Anthropology (2011). The essay engages with the value of ethnographic writing, paying particular attention to ethnographic comics. The increasing prevalence of creative scholarly productions – despite the persistent privileged status of writing as the fundamental element of academic publication – is situated within broader developments in epistemology and public anthropology. Conversely, the essay addresses critical concerns surrounding this trend. The second part of the reflection explores the potential of comics and drawing as a visual practice on paper within the research process itself, challenging the widespread reduction of comics to a merely mediating role for non-academic audiences. The text draws on the author’s personal experience to conclude with reflections on the added value of line-making in drawing. Line-making is understood not only as a mode of representation but also as an active contribution to knowledge production.