Review of Nusantara: Heidi Shamsuddin. Nusantara: A Sea of Tales. Singapore: Penguin Books, 2021. 223 pages.

• Main Author: Quintos, Jay Jomar F.
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2023
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/paha/vol13/iss2/4; https://archium.ateneo.edu/context/paha/article/1306/viewcontent/PAHA_2013.2_205_20Features_20_26_20Reviews_20__20Quintos.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Excerpt: In the introduction to the book Nusantara: A Sea of Tales, writer Heidi Shamsuddin loosely defines “Nusantara” as an umbrella term for “countries sharing the Austronesian language such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Timor Leste, Madagascar, Oceania, as well as countries where Austronesian minorities are present such as Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan” (2). The premise of this definition compels us to imagine the topology and formation of archipelagos and islands that make up the Austronesian world. When the book collects and surveys stories and then maps out the points and turns where they intersect, it turns out to be a compelling contribution to Southeast Asian studies and, more so, island studies. Indeed, it encourages us to constellate the myriad of interconnected narratives that reveal the secrets of the deepest oceans and seas bridging and separating the islands.