02/10/2025
✨ Indigenous vs Western Use of Kambo – Part 3 ✨
One of the biggest differences between how Kambo is used in the jungle vs the West is what we drink before the medicine. 💧
In the West, practitioners usually ask participants to drink water before their session to support the purge. Yet this has created a lot of confusion… and even judgment. Some people believe more water equals a better purge, while others know that too much water can actually be dangerous. Overhydration is one of the biggest risks in Kambo when it’s not handled correctly.
With the Matsés, it’s very different. They don’t drink water at all. Instead, they prepare chapo — a warm, nourishing drink made from plantains 🍌 — which they consume before Kambo. Their tradition carries centuries of wisdom and a very different understanding of how the purge is supported.
Another important difference is around age and tradition. The Matsés give Kambo even to children as young as 3 years old to strengthen them and align them with life from an early age. 👶 In the West, due to safety guidelines and child protection laws, Kambo is never given to children.
Different cultures, different practices… but one spirit of the medicine. 🐸✨
👉 What do you think about these differences? Have you experienced different approaches with water intake in ceremonies? Leave a comment — we’d love to hear your perspective.