The History of Kambo
The scientific name of the Kambo frog is Phyllomedusa Bicolor which translates to “guardian of the leaves.” Kambo is the secretion of this Giant Green Monkey Tree Frog and lives in the rainforests of the Upper Amazon. They are mainly nocturnal and reside high up in the trees. Since they have few natural predators, they are found in abundance. The only current threat to the Kambo frog is the potential destruction of its habitat.
Each tribe has its own way of working with Kambo. The Kaxinawá relay the story of Kampun, who was said to be a powerful shaman that died and became a frog. The first outside observations of Kambo use were made in 1925 by a French priest staying with the Kaxinawá tribe.
Several others have since documented its usage through the years, including the late Peter Gorman, who first experienced Sapo (Kambo without water) with the Masses in Peru. Peter Gorman is responsible for bringing a Kambo stick to a laboratory and helped discover the unique cocktail of beneficial peptides. Peter Gorman went on to author two books, Sapo In My Soul: The Matsés Frog Medicine and Ayahuasca in My Blood: 25 Years of Medicine Dreaming.
Kambo medicine is a folk medicine, and its practice is passed down through the family and tribal members, women, men, and children. Traditionally, Kambo was used in these ways to cleanse, strengthen and energize the minds and bodies of the hunters. After taking Kambo, they were able to run faster for longer, eat less, and sleep less. For a short period, it was believed that they would be invisible to the animals they were hunting because Kambo took away the “human smell” for a while. You may hear Kambo referred to as “Hunting Magic.”
Kambo treats malaria, fever, infections, and snake bites. It is also a way to clear dark or negative energy known as “Panema.” There are stories of Kambo being used for fertility, abortion, behavioral correction, and sexual attraction.
Where did Kambo come from?
Kambo originated in the Amazon jungle by several groups of indigenous South American peoples. It was first discovered by the western world in 1986 by Peter Gorman, and investigative journalist that had been spending time with a native a tribe called the Matses.
Kambo was initially utilized as a medicine to aid the hunters of the tribe, giving them increased endurance, stamina, visual acuity, increased hearing ability, a reduced need for food and water, and to mask their human scent to better sneak up on animals.
Kambo is often used in conjunction with a snuff called Nu-Nu(råpe) to bring visions of where their next successful hunt would be. It was also applied to women and children to treat various ailments such as malaria, parasites, snake bites and “panema” or bad luck.
Click here to learn more about the history of Kambo.
Is Kambo Safe?
All of all the peptides in Kambo that have been researched, none of them have been identified as toxic to humans. Kambo is though, toxic to things like parasites, viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Kambo is also well respected for its antibiotic benefits.
Even though most people experience an extreme physical reaction, Kambo is a very safe procedure, as long as it’s done under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. Please note: Todd has had rigorous training from the world’s leading Kambo trainers and experts. He is a Certified Advanced Practitioner with additional training and experience with Lyme, mold, and autoimmune disease.
Visit our kambo preparation section.
Harvesting the Kambo Medicine
Kambo frogs are traditionally harvested soon after dawn, where the tribespeople sing and imitate the frogs’ songs. The frog comes from high in the trees near the rainforest waterways, where they gather to sing and account for the rain. Kambo frogs are very passive and do not react negatively when carefully tied by each leg with straw strings into an X shape. Sometimes a female shaman will massage the toes to encourage the secretion, which is then carefully scraped off and dried on small sticks. If the frog is being correctly harvested, it is only the first secretions that are taken. One because it is the strongest and two because this method leaves the frog with sufficient secretion to defend itself from predators. The frog is then released to its habitat. The strings will leave a ting white line on each leg, which stops anyone from harvesting again until it has faded, which take 2-3 months. The frogs are treated with the utmost respect as the people believe that harming the frog with anger the animal spirits of the jungle.