Hello and you're very welcome to Longreads, a Jockeman podcast where we look in depth

at political topics and thinkers.

My name's Daniel Finn.

On the features editor here at Jockeman, I'll be presenting a show.

The song we're listening to ganger, ganger, comes from Indonesia.

It tells the story of that country's modern history.

Originally composed during the Second World War, the song became associated with the Indonesian

Communist Party, the PKI, one of the world's largest.

It was recorded in the 1960s by some of the country's leading pop stars.

Then General Siharto seized power in the military coup and slaughtered the Indonesian left.

Siharto's regime propagated a false story that PKI members had tortured a group of generals

to death while singing ganger, ganger.

The song was banned by the new regime.

I guess today for a conversation about Indonesia's turbulent past and present is Michael Van.

Michael is a professor of history at Sacramento State University.

He specializes in the history of Southeast Asia.

This is the first part of a two-part interview.

Jay's episode covers the events leading up to Siharto's coup in the 1960s.

What was the nature of the Indonesian political system under the rule of Sukarno after the

end of Dutch colonial rule?

Well, one of the most important things to understand when we talk about post-colonial

or recently decolonized Indonesia is the tremendous amount of optimism and pride that the young

...