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FAQs about the Historic Native American Indian Snow Snake Game:
What resources were used to research the historic snow snake game?
The 1896 publication, "The Menomini Indians" by Dr. Walter J. Hoffman featured in the Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, now known as the Smithsonian Institution was the resource used for the historic Native American Indian Snow Snake game.
The logo comes from the same report, is based on Dr. Hoffman's sketch of an actual Menominee Indian playing snow snake at the reservation in Keshena, Wisconsin in the early 1890's. Here is Dr. Hoffman's original sketch: 
Who played snowsnake?
All of the following tribes are listed in Dr. Walter J. Hoffman's Fourteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Smithsonian Institution in 1896 as players: Arapaho, Assiniboin, Cheyenne, Chippewa, Cree, Crows, Dakota (Oglala, Teton, Yankton), Grosventres, Hidatsa, Hurons, Iroquois, Kiowa, Mandan, Menominee, Missisanga, Omaha, Passamaquoddy, Pawnee, Penobscot, Pomo, Ponca, Sauk and Foxes, Seneca, Siouan stock, Takulli, Topinagugim, Tuscarora, and Yokuts.
In addition, the Inuit/Eskimo people living in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland and the Dene people living in arctic regions of Canada played snowsnake.
Children and adults including the women of many tribes played snowsnake.
Where can I see snow snake artifacts?
Your local history museum may have some on exhibit. To see snow snakes in the online artifact collection of the American Museum of Natural History, click here and key in snow snake in the search box.
Is snow snake played today? Who plays it?
The 2008 Arctic Winter Games included snow snake in the Dene (interior native) Games. Male and female junior and adult Dene snow snake competitions are scheduled for the 2010 Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie Alberta Canada.
In addition, three Cub Scout groups in Burlington Wisconsin, an elementary class in Syracuse New York, a children's museum in Boca Raton Florida, a natural history museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Chippewa Tribe in Minnesota and the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut are using Snowsnake Racers as a teaching tool in programs that end with a snow snake competition. You can teach a lot of history and culture between shaping and racing snow snakes!
What is the goal of the historic snow snake game?
The game's objective was/is distance: Whoever propelled/propels his snake down a snow covered path the farthest a certain number of times wins.
How did Native American Indians keep track of winners?
Native Americans designated a person(s) to mark where the snow snakes stopped and gave score sticks to winners of each round. The person holding the most score sticks was the winner.
FAQs about Snowsnake Racers:
Does shaping a snowsnake require use of a knife?
Use of a knife is not necessary or recommended. Kit instructions say to lay a piece of medium weight sandpaper with the rough side up on your work table. Rub or stroke the snake against the sandpaper until it is shaped as you want it. Leaders should draw an analogy between shaping the snake and American Indians chipping spear and arrowheads long ago.
Can I make my own snowsnakes?
Your group can carve branches into snowsnakes like American Indians did/do. But you eliminate the danger of knife use with the Snowsnake Racer kit. The balsa wood supplied in the kit is easily shaped with sandpaper. And identical materials give everyone an equal start.
Do we need a snow covered race track to play?
You don't need a snow covered track. In any climate, lengths of plastic sheeting can serve as an "ice" track covering grass or sand. Or you can play indoors. In a gym, use long boards or have players line the length of the track with their books or their shoes. A long hallway can be a track. You don't have to buy any special track equipment to race your Snowsnake Derby Racers.
How can I expand the game competition?
You can play individually and form groups for team competitions - the Woodland Indians racing the Plains' Indians, or tribes such as the Menomonee racing the Chippewa. Besides racing for distance, compete for accuracy, best Native American design, best snake design, etc.
What concepts are included in the lesson plan?
Two adaptable lesson plans - one organizational, one experiential - are included with each order. Discussion questions will lead groups through concepts of natural material use, tool making, importance of hunting, ownership beliefs and the historic Native American Indian snow snake game.
What age groups are best suited to play?
Groups from age 6 upward will walk in the moccasins of Native Americans long ago and learn from the game of snowsnake especially groups like Cub Scouts with Native American badge requirements and 4th grade level (in WI) students with a mandated Native American social studies curriculum.
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