The Black Indian Inn & Gallery

Using Peacekeeper Teachings and the Call of Creative Artists to Build Community

By David Three Arrows Barkley

The Black Indian Inn and Gallery G, founded June 9, 1992 by Ebony Three Arrows, has a stable of 9 artists. There are 9 to11 individuals who consider the Inn their “home”, while the Inn also serves as center for a larger community of people many of whom have can come to the Inn at any time. Together, the Inn’s residents and extended community are the Black Indian Inn family or clan.

The Inn was founded upon a set of nine core Principles of Right Relations which governs our interactions and all of our relations, as well as those who visit the Inn. Those Principles are: 1) Speak Truth; 2) Speak of the good qualities of others; 3) Be a confidant…say nothing behind ones back you have not said to them face to face; 4) Turn aside the veil of anger, no violence is tolerated; 5) Waste not the bounty, want not; 6) Respect all life; 7) No harm; 8) Harbor no thought of an angry nature; and 9) Do it now; if you see what needs to be done, do it.

Being at the center of this community was difficult in the beginning. However, after people lived by the Principles—rather than by a lease—and recognized the synchronicity that came with aligning our thought, word and deed, no one wants to leave. And the waiting list to reside at the Black Indian Inn is growing.

​The Principles we applied were adapted from beliefs and practices that have guided many indigenous communities around the world and are very reflective of the Peacekeeper teachings of Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo and the Green Mountain Band of the AniYunWiWa. BlackIndian Inn is demonstrating that these Principles can help form, stabilize and promote communities of individuals who want to come together around shared purpose, clear intention, and peaceful and joyful living.

David Three Arrows Barkley is an artist, a member of the Green Mountain Band of the AniYunWiWa, and a founder of the Black Indian Inn and Gallery G.