The Origins of Kambo
Indigenous communities also use kambo to enhance physical stamina and sharpen senses, particularly before hunting. Hunters apply Kambo to improve their endurance, heighten their reflexes, and to increase strength and focus. Kambo allows hunters to move with agility and remain alert for long periods.
Kambo is also used as a tool for spiritual and emotional cleansing. Tribal communities view Kambo as a way to release negative energy. The purging that occurs during a Kambo ceremony is seen as a form of spiritual detoxification, allowing the person to feel lighter, more balanced, and connected to the world around them.
Kambo is also used in communal settings, to strengthen bonds within the tribe and promote collective healing. Its use can mark rites of passage, healing within the community, or preparation for significant events.
Legend says that the origins of Kambo were revealed through a shaman, known as Kampu. Kampu’s tribe was suffering from dis-ease, and all known remedies were not working. In search of healing, Kampu took a dieta, where he connected with the spirit of nature. Guided by the wisdom of the rainforest, he came into contact with the giant frog and learned how to apply its secretion to his people. After using Kambo, the tribe was healed, and the practice has since been honored as a medicinal gift from the jungle.
Indigenous tribes in the Amazon, such as the Cocama, Matsés, Katukina and Yawanawá, continue to use Kambo as an integral part of their lives, playing a vital role in their communal well-being, as Kambo is used as an immunity booster, fertility, and to create “hunting magic”, among other uses.
Tribes apply kambo to cleanse the body of illness, prevent infections, and strengthen resilience. It’s a natural way to detoxify the body, purging toxins, which helps maintain health in the extremities of the rainforest. For many, using Kambo as their body calls for it, is a preventative measure to keep the body strong and resistant to disease.