what in tar nation meme

"What in Tarnation?" is a rhetorical question meaning "what in damnation?". It is often associated with Americans living in the Southern United States expressing incredulous bewilderment. The phrase has become a popular meme used to express confusion or anger at a situation or in a silly variation with a rhyming word. The meme originated from a photo of a Shiba Inu dog in a cowboy hat with the caption "what in tarnation". The photo went viral on Tumblr and Twitter, and people began photoshopping the western-themed dog into various situations. The meme has since evolved to include other images and variations of the phrase.