When a Nation Forgets: Why Public Memory is Sacred By Noku Katom “Then the Israelites forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals…” — Judges 3:7 There is something sacred about remembering. And there is something dangerous about forgetting. In South Africa, we are slowly becoming a people who forget — not because we are ungrateful, but because we are distracted. We enjoy the long weekends, the braais, and the public holidays. But what about the meaning ? What about the memory ? What about the story behind the sacrifice ? When I heard someone laugh and say, “South Africa has too many public holidays,” something rose within me. I didn’t take it personally — but I took it spiritually . That comment reminded me of the cost that’s been buried under convenience. And that’s when God reminded me of the Israelites. Stones of Remembrance In Joshua 4, God commanded the Israelites to place 12 stones by the Jordan River — not for decoration, but for remembrance . So that one day, whe...