Indonesian Migrant Children’s Meaning-Making in Learning the History of Shalawat Uhudiyah through al-Banjari in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This study examines how Indonesian migrant children interpret learning the history of Shalawat Uhudiyah through al-Banjari activities in Kuala Lumpur. An exploratory qualitative single-case study involved seven students, one accompanying teacher, and one PKBM manager across three sessions during a 26-day fieldwork period. Data from observations, semi-structured interviews, and documents were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and cross-source triangulation. Four themes emerged: movement from rhythmic performance toward historically informed practice, moral interpretation of the Battle of Uhud, embodied and peer-supported engagement, and cultural-religious belonging in Malaysia. Rhythm, storytelling, discussion, repetition, and coordinated performance mediated participants’ meaning-making, although the evidence does not establish causal improvement in historical knowledge or identity. The study’s originality lies in conceptualizing collective religious performance as a cultural-historical mediation space connecting history education, Islamic arts, and migrant experience. It contributes an evidence-bounded framework for designing contextual history learning while distinguishing engagement, moral interpretation, historical understanding, and identity expression in short, non-formal educational programs for migrant children.