What are the origins of kambo?

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Many of the tribes tell a similar story about the origins of kambo.  Many hundreds of years ago, so the story goes, a tribe was struck down by a terrible new illness.  Finding that the usual remedies had no effect, the great shaman of the tribe, a man named Kampu, did an ayahuasca ceremony to ask the spirits for guidance.  He was shown how to call a particular frog down from the tree tops, tie its little legs to sticks, and scrape a bit of the waxy substance off its back without causing any harm or distress before releasing it.  

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Following the guidance of the spirits, he then applied the substance to other members of the tribe via small burns to the surface of the skin.  Those brave enough to try it soon became very hot, then rather nauseous and uncomfortable, before vomiting repeatedly over the course of 20-40 minutes. 

 

It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park - but afterwards, they began to notice that their illness was lifting - their energy increased, they gained stamina and strength, and soon the tribe was restored to health. 

 

When Kampu died, the story goes, he joined the spirit of the frog and now works with it - as kambo - to heal others.