Postgraduate Researcher for Zimbabwe
Renier started his tertiary education at the University of Pretoria (UP) in Heritage and Cultural Studies, specialising in heritage and cultural tourism and archaeology. After completing his BA, he did an Honours in History at UP then had the opportunity to do an Honours degree in International Relations at UP. Following this, he returned to archaeology to do his master’s degree, which focused on developing a settlement model for the military settlements of the Zulu Kingdom (South Africa) during the 19th century. During this time, he started working on cultural resource management projects. On completion of his master’s he became head of excavations and curator for a Palaeonotological site located within the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. Renier was awarded his PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand. His thesis expanded on his master’s research and includes the development of a settlement model for another northern Nguni group, the Zimbabwean Ndebele or Matabele.
Ever since I was a child, I have been drawn to stories of lost cities and civilisations and this passion for settlements has stayed with me into my academic career. For example, through my research I have found that a settlement form of the northern Nguni was unique in southern Africa, representing a cultural practice that has wider implications for the region than previously thought. It has made me realise the importance of examining settlements, and the cultures that create them, on a wider regional scale, within Africa and beyond. Sadly, the majority of these sites throughout the world are either under threat or have already been destroyed, forever robbing us of the history and stories that they had to tell. This is why protecting heritage sites, both cultural and natural, matters a great deal to me – not just for future research, but primarily to ensure that these sites are still around to inspire future generations as they have inspired me.”
Aside from his core research interests, Renier is fascinated by new technologies and in particular how tools such as three-dimensional modelling can be used in heritage preservation.
Read more about Renier on Researchgate, Academia and LinkedIn.