The Na Bolom Cultural Museum provides a fascinating insight into the lives of the Lacandón indigenous people of Chiapas. The building was the home of Swiss-born Trudi Duby and her Danish husband Frans Blom, who dedicated their lives to researching and documenting the culture of these ancient Mayan people. Spend some time exploring the museum and cultural center to appreciate their dedication and skill.
Na Bolom means “Jaguar House” in the Tzotzil language and is also similar to the Bloms’ name. The building is more than a museum and cultural center. While it once was the couple’s home and still houses many of their personal possessions, it is also a small hotel and restaurant, with organic vegetables grown in the garden. Walk through the 22-room house to discover more about this remarkable couple.
Embark on a tour of the house to learn about both the Bloms and the Lacandón people. Trudi Blom was an anthropologist and photographer. Many of her black-and-white images are displayed around the house. Frans Blom explored many of the Mayan archaeological sites around Chiapas, including Palenque, Toniná and Chinkultic. Notice the volumes of books and records as well as anthropological pieces that are on display in the house.
When Trudi died in 1993, 30 years after her husband, the house continued to operate as an important research center studying the indigenous cultures of the region and the environment in which they live. Visit today and you will see 10,000 books and documents, making this one of the largest resources on the Mayans. There are also crafts, jewelry and traditional embroidered dresses.
The Na Bolom Cultural Museum is open daily and tours are conducted in English and Spanish twice a day. Pay a small fee to enter. Proceeds go to furthering the work of the Bloms and their reforestation efforts. Visit the small store on your way out to buy traditional Lacandón crafts as well as prints of photographs taken by Trudi.
