Theirs is the harsh world of the lowland forests and swamps, a world where malaria, yellow fever and venomous snakes keep mortality rates high. To survive in such a place, the Matsés have become masters of the natural history of the flora and fauna of the region...They have learned to see the jungle as their ally. Neighbouring tribes recognize the Matsés' knowledge. They say the Matsés know the jungle's secrets. Kambo is one of them.
- Peter Gorman ( Sapo in my Soul )
While not a medicine in western terms, kambo is known indigenously by terms like sagrada medicina (sacred medicine), vacina da floresta (vaccine of the forest), and 'hunting magic' - a traditional approach used extensively by tribes throughout the Amazon, for health maintenance, for mood purposes, and to support optimum vitality for strenuous hunts. The kambo method involves the secretion of the Giant Monkey Tree Frog - also known as Phyllomedusa Bicolor. Far from being endangered, kambo is found in great abundance throughout the Amazon and without any natural predators. It is both legal and most importantly, safe - in stark contrast to the traditional image of 'poison frogs', kambo frogs produce a relatively benign secretion which it coats itself with merely as a kind of anti-bacterial shell. The main tribe associated with kambo - the Matsés - treat the frog with great respect, almost as a deity. The frog is not killed or even harmed when collecting the secretion - it does not even shy away from being picked up. It is a powerful and revered ally for the tribes of the jungle, and for good reason.
"As to the spirituality of kambo, I don't think the Matsés gave it any thought other than that it was a medicine they used for various needs. On the other hand, I have heard several Westerners talk about both the frog and the medicine in very spiritual terms. That's fine, of course. A patina of spirituality might help newcomers understand that it's something sacred and not to be abused. But I don't that's the way the antigua Matsés thought about it."
- Peter Gorman ( Sapo in my Soul )
Kambo emerged from the jungle and into mainstream use in the '90s, and today is loved globally by a growing number of people, primarily for the spiritual value but also for the incredible healing potential and great many benefits that practise and research shows it supports.
Today, The International Association of Kambo Practitioners (IAKP) is an NPO that supports safe, responsible service of kambo sessions through training, awareness, research and best practice. The founder of the IAKP notes she has assisted "thousands of people...they have all benefited from targeted and precise kambo treatments". And these experiences ring true across the combined experience of practitioners and clients as a whole globally.
I like to think of this practise as a full service and oil change for the body - simply by allowing the body back to a place where it can run better on its own. As a potent support for immune defense and a whole-body approach to a well-functioning immune system, many people report staying healthy and not getting sick thanks to kambo sessions. It sounds too good to be true. But the native people of the Amazon are quite right to use the word 'magic' when describing this 'sagrada medicina' of theirs.
