Pemujaan

Pemujaan is a term in Indonesian and Malay that denotes the act of worship, adoration, or veneration toward a person, deity, object, or idea. The term encompasses both religious devotion and secular forms of admiration.

Linguistic notes: Pemuja means "worshiper" or "admirer," and the suffix -an forms a noun indicating the practice or act. The concept is used across Indonesia and other Malay-speaking communities to describe practices from temple rites to the adoration of admired figures or brands.

Contexts: In traditional and contemporary religious life, pemujaan can refer to the veneration of gods and saints, ancestors, or sacred icons in Hindu-Buddhist, animist, or syncretic beliefs. In Islam, worship is directed to God alone, and practices of image reverence are generally discouraged.

Modern usage also extends to secular devotion, describing excessive admiration for public figures, celebrities, or brands—phenomena often likened to idol worship in English.

Impact and discourse: Pemujaan shapes rituals, festivals, iconography, and social behavior, and it is a topic of interest in religious studies, anthropology, and sociology. Debates around pemujaan frequently address questions of devotion, authenticity, material culture, and the potential for excessive or superstitious practices.

See also: idolatry, worship, devotion.