About the story
Three murmels find themselves on a foreign shore after being lost at sea. As strangers they are not welcome in Grand Snigdom and find themselves imprisoned. There they will stay until their boat is fixed and they can be on their way. A young snig takes pity on them and each night unlocks their cage and lets them out, taking them to a safe place. It is during these night-time meetings that the snig and the murmels become friends and celebrate by feasting, playing and dancing together.
You will be able to see many similarities to the experiences of refugees in this story.
Teachers, there are some additional notes at the bottom of this page for you to read for some background information to the story.
You will be able to see many similarities to the experiences of refugees in this story.
Teachers, there are some additional notes at the bottom of this page for you to read for some background information to the story.
Read the story
Read the story to the children. Pausing along the way to understand what is happening.
Take note how Narelle has drawn the two different characters (races). One is curvy and round the other is straight, spiky and angular. They are different from each other. Eventually they live side by side and learn from one another.
Take note how Narelle has drawn the two different characters (races). One is curvy and round the other is straight, spiky and angular. They are different from each other. Eventually they live side by side and learn from one another.
Some things to discuss . .
This book can be read as a metaphor for the plight of refugees, as well as the racial discrimination immigrants face in their new homes. Dancing the Boom-cha-cha Boogie can be used to support discussions and study of refugee issues, and also to celebrate and recognise the importance of multiculturalism.
- Discuss why the Boss Snig tells the murmels that ‘strangers are not permitted in Grand Snigdom’. Fear of foreigners is called xenophobia. Why do you think people have this fear?
- Discuss the reasons for the murmels’ imprisonment. Can you think of a situation in real life where the equivalent occurs? Can you offer a better solution?
- Discuss what the snigs learn from the murmels.
- Discuss whether or not you think life improves after the murmels’ arrival.
- What would you do if you were a snig? Put yourself in the murmels’ shoes. How would you have acted?
- Think of an alternative ending. What else could have happened if the characters had acted differently?
- Look carefully at Narelle’s artwork and identify all the things you like and think
are successful. From your observations, create your own creature. Come up with a name and some interesting facts about your creature. - Why do you think Narelle Oliver chose to tell the story about refugee experiences and used the characters of the murmels and the snigs instead of people?
Narelle Oliver's Inspiration (Teacher Info)
Narelle Oliver took inspiration from a number of things when creating Dancing the Boomcha - cha Boogie. ‘I met a friend whose daughter was in secondary school and she mentioned that in one of her school subjects the topic of refugees and immigration was being studied. To highlight some of the issues involved, the teachers had offered to be fenced off in an area of the school. In the exercise, each teacher was an illegal immigrant and it was up to them to come up with ideas that might convince students to let them out into the wider community.’
She took the essence of this idea and applied it to her work: ‘In Dancing the Boomcha- cha Boogie the murmels have only their cultural richness to offer the strange creatures of their new land – the foods, games and dances and their joyful approach to life. And they offer friendship as well, even though they are not welcome.
‘At the same time, the issue of refugees trying to reach Australia illegally by boat was in the news. I recall seeing news footage of one of the boats – how poor and old it looked and on the verge of sinking. Instead of focusing on the rights and wrongs of this situation occurring, I started to imagine what it must be like to take off on a long unknown voyage on a boat that looks like it could sink at any moment. And not being exactly sure if and how the boat will get somewhere safe. And knowing that there is probably not a life to go back to, and hoping like crazy that there will be some kind of life where the boat lands – if it does not sink or get smashed up in a storm ... ‘In Dancing the Boom-cha-cha Boogie, the murmels faced a similar situation as they drifted in their leaky arkel, knowing that their homeland, Murmella, and all the other murmels had disappeared in the whirligig. They could only hope that there was some kind of life ahead of them.’
Narelle was also inspired by a Sudanese family who had moved into her street. ‘Their three young children immediately filled their front verandah and the footpaths with noise and laughter and bike riding … Then on weekends they dressed up in their traditional dress of glowing fabrics and headed off as a proud family up the street. I knew from the news that they had probably fled from a terrible situation in their own country and left other family behind.
‘In Dancing the Boom-cha-cha Boogie, the snigs, or at least the Boss Snig, presumed that the snigs were superior and that the newcomers would be desperate to get hold of their sea slugs and to stay on in Grand Snigdom. However, the murmels had a cultural richness of their own – their special foods, games and dances – which they shared and the effects of this sharing on the snigs became very important in the story.’
She took the essence of this idea and applied it to her work: ‘In Dancing the Boomcha- cha Boogie the murmels have only their cultural richness to offer the strange creatures of their new land – the foods, games and dances and their joyful approach to life. And they offer friendship as well, even though they are not welcome.
‘At the same time, the issue of refugees trying to reach Australia illegally by boat was in the news. I recall seeing news footage of one of the boats – how poor and old it looked and on the verge of sinking. Instead of focusing on the rights and wrongs of this situation occurring, I started to imagine what it must be like to take off on a long unknown voyage on a boat that looks like it could sink at any moment. And not being exactly sure if and how the boat will get somewhere safe. And knowing that there is probably not a life to go back to, and hoping like crazy that there will be some kind of life where the boat lands – if it does not sink or get smashed up in a storm ... ‘In Dancing the Boom-cha-cha Boogie, the murmels faced a similar situation as they drifted in their leaky arkel, knowing that their homeland, Murmella, and all the other murmels had disappeared in the whirligig. They could only hope that there was some kind of life ahead of them.’
Narelle was also inspired by a Sudanese family who had moved into her street. ‘Their three young children immediately filled their front verandah and the footpaths with noise and laughter and bike riding … Then on weekends they dressed up in their traditional dress of glowing fabrics and headed off as a proud family up the street. I knew from the news that they had probably fled from a terrible situation in their own country and left other family behind.
‘In Dancing the Boom-cha-cha Boogie, the snigs, or at least the Boss Snig, presumed that the snigs were superior and that the newcomers would be desperate to get hold of their sea slugs and to stay on in Grand Snigdom. However, the murmels had a cultural richness of their own – their special foods, games and dances – which they shared and the effects of this sharing on the snigs became very important in the story.’