1906 Elem Roundhouse

Fist of all as a tribal elder, Elem Tribal Historian and Traditional cultural leader I feel that my review and perspective should be included concerning the "Jules Tavernier Painting". This painting is another example of the cultural exploitation and Miss-appropriation of our traditional lifeways, by Euro-Americans and  their private non-native institutions. I view this painting as a symbol of the Mining industry's "Manifest Destiny" and their illegal confiscation of tribal aboriginal homelands and natural resources. Leaving a legacy of Toxic waste and cancer deaths of Elem families, while destroying one of the oldest documented fishing societies in California. While the art world is celebrating and adoring this travesty of our culture. While directly confiscating Elem tribal lands and displacing Elem's people and contaminating our most important food supply, the fish, that was the main source of food and shared with all the entire community.   Most of our traditional fishermen died of Cancers, including my father, our traditional chief (Jim Brown Jr.).

When I was tribal Chairman of Elem (1998-2000),  I was part of the Documentary film called "Gold Greed & Genocide" (Now on YouTube)this is when we publicly exposed the mercury posing of our people and homelands. 90% of our Elem tribal elders have died of Cancers. This is the horrific and toxic history the Mining industry has played in the direct colonization and Genocide of Indigenous  tribes and peoples of California and the U.S.

This painting is a farce and misrepresents our Elem tribal culture. After reviewing the painting this is my cultural criticism of the painting. This is another example of "Cultural Forgery" by the Art worlds so called elite. 

1.) The Fire Pit is totally wrong: It would have never been behind the "Center Pole"! In the painting the dancers you see a smoke hole, but no fire pit below! The Roundhouse smoke hole is always located above the Fire pit!

2.) The entrance door of Elem's Roundhouse traditionally faced the South, not the East (like in the Painting)The painting falsely portrays Mt. Konocti in the door way!

3.) The Roundhouse Doorway would not have any steps at the entrance! (like in the painting) 

4.) The female dancers dresses look more like the Seminole Indians of Florida, as only their headdress is close to traditional. Note: During that time period 1877 the females would be topless with Necklaces covering their breasts and wearing shredded Tule skirts.! 

5.) These white men would have never been invited to any traditional sacred ceremonies That's against the rules of the secret society! 

6.) If invited any white persons/visitor would've been seated in a specific location within the Roundhouse. Not allowed to wander around during Ceremonies!

7.) The Roundhouse in the painting is too large! it's almost three times as large as our original Elem Roundhouse. ( I have historical photos).

8.) The other male dancers outfits are wrong, and look like clown outfits, as most of our dancers would be without clothes, wearing only cultural regalia!

9.) We would have never called ourselves "Pomo" as we are Elem-Modun. Note: it was Professor Alfred L. Kroeber at U.C. Berkeley that renamed our tribes with the false colonized name of "Pomo" in the 1940's. This was in order to further colonize tribes and erase our aboriginal homelands that extended to the pacific coast. Elem had documented land tracts on Bodega bay and credited to be the first in manufacturing the Washington Clam shell as tribal currency. 

In closing,  my tribe  is in a battle for our very existence as a tribal government and and we are the last of the Elem people. This is the result of our attempt for Environmental Justice from the toxic fallout form the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine. Our tribe attempted to file a law suit against the US EPA Superfund agency who directly violated section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Destroying  artifacts from the 1906 Elem Village site where two artifacts were discovered by tribal hired archeologists (Dr. John Parker, Wolfcreek Archaeology) were dated 14,000 & 22,000 years old. The BIA illegally interfered in our 2010 tribal elections resulting in half the Elem tribal membership, 79 adults members being "Politically Disenfranchised" and most importantly stopping the legal claim against the USEPA Superfund Sub-contractors. Since 2010 all tribal federally funded services, financial assistance, voting and membership rights have been taken away from all of us including our children who are "Black Listed" from their Elem tribal membership rights, all federally funded tribal services have been taken away from us while this fake council has moved to Sonoma county and is in the business of a Pay Day Loan company.  

I would like to take this opportunity to formally invite anyone form the Met/De Young Museum to attend the real traditional families of Elem Roundhouse Ceremonies next week from October 22-24, 2021 Sorry for the short notice, also I understand the current COVID concerns as well, If anyone would like to attend, please contact me at me email or cell phone. This is an alcohol an drug free event, mast are optional as always some of our rules are NO: Recordings, Photos, plus females are required to wear a skirt or dress. All My Relations, Respectfully Jim Brown III, Elem Elder

NOTE: I never received any response , correspondence nor acknowledgement of my letter!