The Keepers of Kambô
“Seven tribes in Brazil and Peru have claimed that Kambô is theirs. The situation is complex. Over thousands of years, each tribe has developed its own story. It is the medicine of many tribes and people. Every tribe has its own way of working with Kambô. The Matses tribespeople we work with have told us that, “Nobody can ever own Kambô. It is for everyone.”
The Kaxinawá, also known as the Huni Kuin, relay the story of Kampun, who was said to be a powerful shaman that died and became a frog.”
Tuwe and Iba of the Huni Kuin Tribe
Some of the other tribes using Kambô are:
The Kaxinawa, also known as the Huni Kuin, Amahuaca, Katukina, Kulina, Yawanawá, Matses, Marubo, Nukini and Mayoruna.
The first outside observations/documentations of Kambô use were made by a French priest, Father Constantin Tastevin in 1925 while he stayed with the Kaxinawá tribe. In the 1980’s. an American Anthropologist, Katherine Milton described Kambô use among the Mayoruna tribe in Brazil and shortly after Peter Gorman experienced Sapo with the Matses in Peru. Sapo is done without water.
Some traditions from past tribes around Kambô have been adopted from the Caboclo people and some have no ritual or tradition, allowing everyone who has grown up using it to give Kambô. There is a great misconception that Kambô is connected to Shamanism and Curandero’s. Considering these are usually men, this overlooks the work that the other 50% of tribal populations do with Kambô. The women of several tribes have their own secret ways of using Kambô that are passed down through the female line and very rarely shared with outsiders.
During the 1990’s, rubber tappers in Brazil learned about Kambô from the Amazon Indians. They began to take it out into the towns of Acre and apply it themselves. Having spent several years living with the Katukina, Francisco Gomes from Cruzeiro do Sol was one of the first people to pioneer the use of Kambô outside the Amazon. The practice spread and soon people in the larger cities of Brazil were using Kambô. These early practitioners developed the concept of taking Kambô 3 times in a moon cycle.
A practice that has been adopted by some tribes now and westerners. They also came up with the idea of drinking water rather than the traditional Caicuma, as water was easier to acquire while traveling (Manioc or Maize soup).
In 2004, ANVISA, the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária in Brazil prohibited advertising of the medicinal & therapeutic benefits of Kambô. This was in response to the Katukina tribe attempting to own the intellectual property rights of Kambô. So far, this is the only written restriction of any aspect of Kambô anywhere in the world.
Traditionally, Kambô was used in these ways.
Cleanse, strengthen and energize the minds and bodies of the hunters. After taking Kambô, they were able to run faster, for longer, eat less, sleep less and for a period of time, they believed that they would be invisible to the animals they were hunting because Kambô takes away the ‘human smell’ for a while. You may hear Kambô referred to as ‘Hunting Magic’.
Used as medicine, for Malaria, fever, infections and snake bites.
A way to clear away dark or negative energy known as ‘Panema’.
There are stories of Kambô being used for fertility, abortion, behavioral correction and sexual attraction.” -Kambô International