What is Kambo?
Kambo is derived from the secretion of the Amazonian Phyllomedusa Bicolor frog. This secretion contains a unique mix of bioactive peptides that produce incredible benefits for the body and mind. Italian pharmacologist Vittorio Erspamer of the University of Rome and two-time Nobel Prize nominee was the first scientist to analyze Kambo in a laboratory, concluding that Kambo contains a, “fantastic chemical cocktail with potential medical applications unmatched by any other amphibian”.
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The benefits of Kambo stem from the bioactive peptides and neuropeptides found in the Kambo secretion. The bioactive peptides found in Kambo positively affect humans due to their health-promoting properties. They can exert several beneficial effects like preventing diseases or modulating the physiological systems once they are absorbed in the human body. These peptides perform a broad range of functions that can be involved in the gastrointestinal system, the cardiovascular system, the immune system and the nervous system.
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Kambo brings energy and stamina into the body and sharpens the senses. It makes the mind still and allows one to think clearly. The small things that bother us daily do not seem to be as significant following a Kambo session, allowing one to focus on the things that truly matter in life.
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People have reported improvements in the following conditions after using Kambo:
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Anxiety / Depression
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Chronic Pain & Inflammation
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Blood circulation problems
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Thyroid imbalances
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Cancer
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Fertility issues
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Addictions
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Digestive issues / Gut health
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Lyme disease
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Candida
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PTSD
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Skin conditions
AND MORE
History of Kambo
Kambo is supposedly named for the legendary pajé (or medicine man) Kampu. This ancestral shaman is said to have learned about the medicine from a forest spirit, having exhausted all other means to heal his sickly tribe. According to the Kaxinawá, the spirit of Kampu lives on in the giant monkey frog, continuing to heal any who seek it. Whatever the mythical origin, Kambo medicine has long been used by indigenous Pano-speaking groups in the Amazon, including the Katukina, Asháninka, Yaminawá, and Matsés (or Mayoruna). Traditional uses include eliminating toxins, increasing strength and stamina and dispersing negative energy.
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The first Westerner to witness Kambo use in the Amazon was the French missionary Constantin Tastevin, who stayed with the Kaxinawá in 1925. According to his informants, the ritual of self-envenomation originated with the neighboring Yaminawá.
Kambo was rediscovered in the 1980s by journalist Peter Gorman and anthropologist Katharine Milton —both of whom spent time living with the Matsés/Mayoruna of northeastern Peru/southwestern Brazil. They each supplied Kambo samples to the biochemists John Daly and Vittorio Erspamer, who analyzed the secretion’s peptide content and saw great medical potential. Pharmaceutical companies have made efforts to synthesize and patent Kambo peptides, and have made promising strides towards new and effective medications derived from the Phyllomedusa peptides.
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International awareness of Kambo continues to grow, having spiked around the mid-2000s. Today, Western-trained applicators hold Kambo ceremonies around the world.
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Ultimate Guide to Kambo - Experience, Benefits, & Side Effects (thethirdwave.co)
Kambo & Ethics
In recent years there has been growing concern around the ethical use of Kambo and the treatment of the Phyllomedusca Bicolor (also know as the Giant Monkey frog). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) endangered species database lists them in the “Least Concerned” category, in view of their current wide distribution and large population. The Giant Monkey frog also has no known predators.
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The indigenous tribes who harvest Kambo go into the forest and sing and imitate the frog’s song to locate them in the trees, at the sound of the singing the frogs come down from the trees and allow themselves to be picked up. The frogs are very docile and do not shy away when picked up, possibly because they have no predators. The frogs are then gently tied by each leg into an X shape using straw-like strips and have the secretion gently scraped off and left to dry on small flat sticks. Once the Kambo has been harvested the frog is released back into its habitat unharmed. The straw-like strips used to tie the frog leave a small white ring around the leg, this is so the tribes know which frogs have recently been harvested and those ones are left alone until the ring has disappeared, taking approximately 3 months.
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Although it may experience some level of stress at time, the frog is not killed or even harmed when collecting the secretion. The indigenous people of the Amazon treat the frog with the utmost care and reverence, as they believe Kambo is a spirit of the forest, a teacher, a healer, and a carrier of sacred medicine.
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It is also important to note that the Giant Monkey frog will not produce the secretion when it is raised in captivity. Therefore, the frogs will always be left wild, in their natural habitat.
Hapé
Hapé, also known as Rapé (pronounced ha-pay), is a sacred shamanic snuff that has been used by the tribes of the Amazon jungle for centuries. It is traditionally prepared by the ceremonial pounding of wild tobacco mixed with the bark of a variety of medicinal or sacred trees. Indigenous tribes use hapé for ritual, medicinal and recreational purposes such as, rites of puberty, initiation, social gatherings and healing ceremonies.
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The benefits of Hapé can include, opening the 3rd eye and decalcifying the pineal gland, stills the mind and allows one to enter into a meditative state, purifies and cleanses the sinuses and respiratory tract, supports the digestive system (can create bowel movements) and can create a calm and relaxed feeling.
Sananga
Sananga, also known as Becchete (a Matses word for medicinal plant) are very powerful eyedrops. The Sananga most popularly used today is extracted from the shrub Tabernaemontana Undulate in the tradition of the Matses tribe of the Amazon jungle.
Sananga's most well known attribute is its ability to improve vision, including conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness. It can also create a sense of calm and groundedness. Similar to Hapé, Sananga is almost like a shortcut to a meditative state.
