Nusantao is an artificial term coined by Solheim, derived from the Austronesian root words nusa "island" and tao "man, people".
In Solheim's hypothesis, the people who constituted this trading network are referred to as "the Nusantao".I now define Nusantao as natives of Southeast Asia, and their descendants, with a maritime-oriented culture from their beginnings, these beginnings probably in southeastern Island Southeast Asia around 5000 BC or possibly earlier.
[7] Solheim suggests that there is an indication of a maritime network, dating back to 30,000 BC,[5] by describing the movement of artifacts as they are found in the Philippines, northern Vietnam, coastal South China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
Some of the artifacts described to be associated with rice cultivation include table and capstone dolmens, stepped and pediform adzes, and plain pottery.
[8] Some linguists believe this to be why there are certain Japanese words that were created in Southeast Asia; for example, a species of rice, Javanica, is present in Japan but originated in Sarawak.