Narrative inquiries usually involve relatively intense analyses of relatively short segments of text that take the form of stories. In my opinion, context would matter more than prolonged engagement.

Narrative inquiry explores the lived and storied expeiences of participants about a social phenomenon. In narrative inquiry, and based on Clandinin and Connelly approapches, attention is paid to space (spatiality), time (temporality), and people (relationality) of the telling of storied experiences. And so, linking that to ethnography, which explores communities and their socio-cultural practices, norms, and values, you must attend to how individuals experience and narrate their experiences about a phenomenon in a cultural context. The individual experiences must be pulled together to provide a broader picture, pattern, or insight into the phenomenon under investigation. In short, you are merging the requirements of narrative inquiry with thise of ethnography. But also, be aware that different approaches to narrative inquiry exist out there, including that of van Manen’s.

Narrative inquiry in ethnography is a method of research that focuses on understanding people's experiences and perspectives through the stories they tell. It emphasizes the collection of detailed, contextual data through prolonged fieldwork, often involving in-depth interviews and other forms of data collection that allow the researcher to gain a rich understanding of the cultural, social, and historical contexts in which the participants live. This approach is particularly useful in understanding complex social phenomena and the ways in which individuals and groups make sense of their experiences. Narrative inquiry in ethnography can also involve the analysis of written texts, such as diaries and other personal documents, as well as the use of visual and other forms of data to supplement and complement the oral narratives collected.