Harvesting Kambo
Written by: SAMANTHA PIERSON
Kambo is trending in Utah right now. You can find a Kambo practitioner fairly easily with a quick Google search, or by word of mouth. But when exploring which practitioner you would like to work with, have you thought to ask them where the source of their Kambo comes from? And if it is harvested ethically?
Kambo isn’t just a physical experience. It’s a spiritual one too. For a practitioner like myself, it is of the highest importance to create and foster a connection with the Spirit of Kambo. This helps me to create an experience that is tailored to you. And the energy with which the Kambo is harvested also directly affects my connection to Kambo (and yours).
As legend goes, the Kambo process first appeared in the Kaxinawa tribe as a vision during a sacred plant medicine ceremony. A shaman known as Kampum entered into this journey to gain insight on helping the members of his village who had become very sick. It was during this journey that he was shown the Kambo process. Kampum took this knowledge to his tribe and after its administration, the tribe was cured. Kampum saw Kambo as a feminine spirit, and he taught others to treat this spirit with respect.
In the Matsés tradition, the Kambo process of harvesting is detailed in the book, Sapo In My Soul: The Matsés Frog Medicine by Peter Gorman. What was observed by Peter was members of the tribe who have a deep connection to the frog, calling out to the frog on nights of harvest. If the frog responds, the tribesman cuts down the branch of the tree that the frog is sitting on, to allow it to remain as peaceful as possible. They believe that it would be unfavorable for the village to anger the spirit of the frog.
When they arrived back at camp, each leg of the frog was tied up with string as comfortably as possible. This is the part that determines whether Kambo is harvested ethically or not. The frog should not be traumatized to release the secretion. Traditionally, you massage one of the feet of the frog to release its secretion, but there are those out there who are treating the frog unacceptably for monetary gain. They may put the frog next to a fire to scare it, or blow smoke in its face. There are some outcast members of the Matsés tribe that stick a metal stick in the nose of the frog in order to obtain more secretion. They also harvest the secretion multiple times, leaving the frog depleted and drained.
It’s pivotal that the frog is left with enough secretion to protect itself. The Giant Monkey Frog is not an endangered species, but it is our job to protect the spirit of this peaceful animal.
Kambo practitioners should be aware of where their Kambo is coming from, and be willing to pay more for Kambo that is harvested ethically. Make sure you ask them, because this energy could show up in your session. It’s important to preserve the ancient traditions which show respect during the Kambo harvesting practice.