The region known as Indonesia today was called NUSANTARA in biblical times. This term is derived from the Malay word nusa meaning “island” and antara meaning “between”. Thus, Nusantara refers to the Malay Archipelago, which is made up of thousands of islands spread over both the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The first recorded mention of Nusantara in history is from the 9th century AD, when it was mentioned in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription. This inscription, written in the Kawi language, …