Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Wandering Garter Snake) (Thamnophis elegans)
Plains Garter Snake (Thamnophis radix)
Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)
The Garter Snake was the being who first received the gift of the hosei-hoowu’ - the Offerings Lodge, often called the Sun Dance (Dorsey, p. 177).
When the Flat Pipe was brought to dry land after the creation of the land, Garter Snake made an offering: “I am very low in spirit, and I desire to place myself away from harm and violence. You know that I am very innocent and delicate in every way. I have a very faithful disposition and am energetic in my ways and reverent toward my neighbors...[He then says that the period of fasting will be four days rather than seven. This way it will be easier and more care and respect will be paid the Flat Pipe]...I desire to be located away from harm, and be a circumference of the earth.” Garter Snake is symbolically represented in the Sacred Wheel - he is its outer rim, and thus the circumference of the Earth that it represents. (Dorsey, p. 202).