Catherine Namono is a researcher at the Rock Art Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Her focus is on developing an understanding of the complex symbolism of rock art in Africa based on an understanding of the worldview, indigenous values and rituals of life of the people who made the rock art. Her doctoral degree from the University of the Witwatersrand offered an interpretation of the geometric rock art of Uganda using a contextual interpretive approach based on Pygmy ethnographies. This study unlocked our understanding of how Pygmy groups experienced their cosmos by demonstrating connections of rock art in Pygmy thought to explain their symbolism. Her recent work on the naturalistic rock art of Karamoja, Uganda argued for symbolism associated with secret society spirit mediums. Catherine is interested in extending such understanding of rock art to consider how present communities provide new symbolism and meaning to the rock art they encounter in Uganda and South Africa. Dr Namono considers approaches that also include consciousness and perceptions of landscape of past and present communities. Catherine is passionate about heritage management and conservation, community heritage tourism, the public and the heritagization of rock art, heritage and development as well as the inclusion of local indigenous voices in archaeological knowledge.

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