n Indonesia, the term 'wayang' encompasses all forms of dramatic performance. This includes the traditional leather shadow puppetry (Wayang Kulit), the puppetry featuring three-dimensional wooden puppets (Wayang Golek), masked performances with a variety of masks (Wayang Topeng), and the dance-drama Wayang Wong. On Java, the puppets themselves are also referred to as 'wayang,' while in Bali, they are known as 'ringgit'.

The forms of the puppets and the mythical stories they portray underwent significant changes when Islam spread to the previously Hindu centers of wayang in the Indonesian archipelago from the 15th century. Despite these transformations, wayang puppet theater has been recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.