Our fight for Kambô
Donation protected
Hey – We are Carlie and Brad.
And we’re raising money to keep Kambô available in an ethical and safe manner in Australia…
Kambô is the secretion of the Phyllomedusa Bicolor. A giant tree frog that lives in the Amazon. Many of the tribes in the Amazon have been working with Kambo for centuries for energetic, spiritual and physical purposes.
We are Kambô practitioners in South Australia. Recently we came to the attention of the Victorian and then South Australian health authorities. We aren’t 100% sure why we have been singled out when there are at least 40 other practitioners offering Kambô in Australia, but we have been.
The authorities in question believe that Kambô poses a risk to the public of Australia, and – launched investigations into our practice of Kambô.
The South Australian Health Complaints Commissioner, Dr Grant Davies, has provided us with a draft report, that proposes an indefinite ban on our Kambô practice.
His proposal is based on what we believe are a number of incorrect assumptions about Kambô and the people that come to Kambô.
This means we need legal advice to respond to the draft report provided by the South Australian Health Commissioner that aims to indefinitely ban our Kambô practice in SA.
Obviously, this impacts us and our practice most immediately…
yet the ripple effect and actions set by this precedent are predictable, with potentially far reaching impact for the availability and safe provision of Kambô.
In the end – this is about more than our practice or our right to offer Kambô. This about about ensuring clients have safe and ethical access, it's about the many other practitioners in Australia and across the world that these decisions could impact.
A number of the reasons Dr Davies has cited for his proposal aren’t necessarily specific to our practice – they relate to the application of Kambô by anyone.
The international Kambô community, in particular the International Association of Kambô Practitioners (IAKP) has been working and continues to work to ensure safe, responsible and ethical practice is at the forefront, and it would be a shame to see this dismantled and Kambô pushed underground.
And so we are seeking initially $10,000 to pay for legal advice to address this report, and hopefully – enable some open discussion that doesn’t just ban our practice, but considers ways that we can keep Kambô as a valid, legal option for individuals looking for it.
You see, we don’t completely disagree with Dr Grant Davies, Kambô does have associated risks.
Climbing Uluru, skydiving, drinking alcohol, driving a car, many prescription medications and sitting in the sauna with an undiagnosed heart condition are all things that come with risks.
As IAKP trained Kambô practitioners – we’re well aware of these risks, as are all of our clients. We have guidelines and contraindications that go to the extreme to minimise and avoid these risks.
And we believe that these risks will be amplified if Kambô practitioners are pushed underground and fear becomes a part of the process.
There are currently around 400 IAKP trained practitioners and many more trained by the tribes and other means - all over the world - offering Kambô to individuals and groups world wide
From rugby teams, to officials in government positions, to doctors, surgeons, waiters, real estate agents, architects and interior designers, builders, fitness instructors, personal coaches, single mothers and fathers
the chronically ill,
the debilitated,
the depressed,
the forgotten and in rare cases - the dying.
We don’t expect a free pass.
This isn’t a knee jerk reaction – in fact we’ve been engaged in this investigation and unable to practice for almost 6 months now. Our clients regularly contact us to find out when we’ll be able to offer Kambô again or for referrals to other Kambô practitioners.
We knew that eventually, Kambô would grab the attention of someone and there would be a culture clash. We just didn’t expect we’d be at the centre of it.
What we do hope for is that Dr Davies be challenged in his decision. That the Kambô community is given a voice and that, together, we get a chance to defend Kambôs right to stay in the light and to ensure practitioners are able to remain visible and accountable.
That peoples right to chose what they do with their bodies remains just that.
And that his uninformed assumptions about the types of people seeking out Kambô be amended.
What we are hoping for is an open channel of communication where we can address his concerns and find an outcome that doesn’t create more risk for those that do find Kambô serves their needs.
In the first instance we’re trying to raise funds for legal advice.
We hope this is as far as it goes. Any remaining funds after our first appeal, (hoping it stops there ) will be donated to ACATÉ – a fantastic NGO doing important work in the Amazon with the tribes to preserve their culture, traditional medicines, knowledge and environment
https://acateamazon.org/
We appreciate any donation, big or small.
Additionally - if you have first hand experience with Kambô and would be willing to add your voice by sharing your experience with how Kambô has helped you, then we also welcome video or written testimonials from Australia and all over the world. This is our chance to stand up and protect something that has helped so many, in so many ways.
#freethefrogOz #vivakambo #frogtribeunite
And we’re raising money to keep Kambô available in an ethical and safe manner in Australia…
Kambô is the secretion of the Phyllomedusa Bicolor. A giant tree frog that lives in the Amazon. Many of the tribes in the Amazon have been working with Kambo for centuries for energetic, spiritual and physical purposes.
We are Kambô practitioners in South Australia. Recently we came to the attention of the Victorian and then South Australian health authorities. We aren’t 100% sure why we have been singled out when there are at least 40 other practitioners offering Kambô in Australia, but we have been.
The authorities in question believe that Kambô poses a risk to the public of Australia, and – launched investigations into our practice of Kambô.
The South Australian Health Complaints Commissioner, Dr Grant Davies, has provided us with a draft report, that proposes an indefinite ban on our Kambô practice.
His proposal is based on what we believe are a number of incorrect assumptions about Kambô and the people that come to Kambô.
This means we need legal advice to respond to the draft report provided by the South Australian Health Commissioner that aims to indefinitely ban our Kambô practice in SA.
Obviously, this impacts us and our practice most immediately…
yet the ripple effect and actions set by this precedent are predictable, with potentially far reaching impact for the availability and safe provision of Kambô.
In the end – this is about more than our practice or our right to offer Kambô. This about about ensuring clients have safe and ethical access, it's about the many other practitioners in Australia and across the world that these decisions could impact.
A number of the reasons Dr Davies has cited for his proposal aren’t necessarily specific to our practice – they relate to the application of Kambô by anyone.
The international Kambô community, in particular the International Association of Kambô Practitioners (IAKP) has been working and continues to work to ensure safe, responsible and ethical practice is at the forefront, and it would be a shame to see this dismantled and Kambô pushed underground.
And so we are seeking initially $10,000 to pay for legal advice to address this report, and hopefully – enable some open discussion that doesn’t just ban our practice, but considers ways that we can keep Kambô as a valid, legal option for individuals looking for it.
You see, we don’t completely disagree with Dr Grant Davies, Kambô does have associated risks.
Climbing Uluru, skydiving, drinking alcohol, driving a car, many prescription medications and sitting in the sauna with an undiagnosed heart condition are all things that come with risks.
As IAKP trained Kambô practitioners – we’re well aware of these risks, as are all of our clients. We have guidelines and contraindications that go to the extreme to minimise and avoid these risks.
And we believe that these risks will be amplified if Kambô practitioners are pushed underground and fear becomes a part of the process.
There are currently around 400 IAKP trained practitioners and many more trained by the tribes and other means - all over the world - offering Kambô to individuals and groups world wide
From rugby teams, to officials in government positions, to doctors, surgeons, waiters, real estate agents, architects and interior designers, builders, fitness instructors, personal coaches, single mothers and fathers
the chronically ill,
the debilitated,
the depressed,
the forgotten and in rare cases - the dying.
We don’t expect a free pass.
This isn’t a knee jerk reaction – in fact we’ve been engaged in this investigation and unable to practice for almost 6 months now. Our clients regularly contact us to find out when we’ll be able to offer Kambô again or for referrals to other Kambô practitioners.
We knew that eventually, Kambô would grab the attention of someone and there would be a culture clash. We just didn’t expect we’d be at the centre of it.
What we do hope for is that Dr Davies be challenged in his decision. That the Kambô community is given a voice and that, together, we get a chance to defend Kambôs right to stay in the light and to ensure practitioners are able to remain visible and accountable.
That peoples right to chose what they do with their bodies remains just that.
And that his uninformed assumptions about the types of people seeking out Kambô be amended.
What we are hoping for is an open channel of communication where we can address his concerns and find an outcome that doesn’t create more risk for those that do find Kambô serves their needs.
In the first instance we’re trying to raise funds for legal advice.
We hope this is as far as it goes. Any remaining funds after our first appeal, (hoping it stops there ) will be donated to ACATÉ – a fantastic NGO doing important work in the Amazon with the tribes to preserve their culture, traditional medicines, knowledge and environment
https://acateamazon.org/
We appreciate any donation, big or small.
Additionally - if you have first hand experience with Kambô and would be willing to add your voice by sharing your experience with how Kambô has helped you, then we also welcome video or written testimonials from Australia and all over the world. This is our chance to stand up and protect something that has helped so many, in so many ways.
#freethefrogOz #vivakambo #frogtribeunite
Co-organizers (2)
Brad Williams
Organizer
Christies Beach, SA
Carlie Angel
Co-organizer