HARVESTING THE MEDICINE
The Kambô I use is harvested by the Matsés tribe just outside of Iquitos, the Yavari/Angamos region in the Upper Amazon, along the border of Brazil and Peru, or that which I have collected myself. It is carefully and ethically harvested so the frogs are not harmed during the process. The frogs are located in trees sometimes 20-30m high, often near bodies of water where they gather to sing and announce the rain. They are generally harvested at dawn by the Matsés who locate them by singing and imitating their call. The frogs are very docile and do not react when picked up as they have no known predators. They are tied by each leg with grass or stretchable cotton rags into an “X” shape. The secretion is then carefully scraped off and left to dry on small sticks. They are then released and return to their habitat unharmed.
The harvesting of the medicine can be anything from safe and gentle, to difficult and somewhat brutal for the frog. The importance of knowing exactly where it comes from, and the methods in which it is harvested is crucial to maintaining the balance and healthy supply of Kambô to an ever increasing market. Purchasing sticks off the internet carries no guarantee of an ethical harvest, and more often than not, the frogs and the tribes are the ones that suffer, with the people selling them reaping all the rewards. Always make sure you know the true source of your Kambô.