Within the context of trans-locality, this paper will discuss two popular folktales shared amongst the Malay Archipelago, mainly Indonesian and Malaysia, Bawang Merah Bawang Putih (Shallots and Garlic) and the story of the cursed son known as Si Tanggang in Malaysia or Malin Kundang in Indonesia. This paper argues that although the stories may differ accordingly through the locality of the cultural adaptation, the ongoing process of acculturation and assimilation which influences communitys perception, however, what remains relevant and binds these communities of the Malay Archipelago, especially Malaysia and Indonesia, is the social values. This study adopts an arts based research method which includes the systematic use of the artistic process, the actual making of artistic expressions in all of the different forms of the arts as a primary way of understanding and examining cultural heritage experience. This paper further indicates that by presenting the children as actors and story-tellers through performative platforms, specifically, Wayang Kulit as in this research, they are not only able to present a better understanding of the social values from these different versions of the stories but also can re contextualize these values to their daily lives. As a result, they acquire new skills and understanding in constructing new social values whilst drawing an analogical relationship between the trans-locality of the imagined situations in these folktales and their living realities.

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