Kambo wuwu juju is banned again in SA, Health Complaints Commissioner Grant Davies says
An Adelaide couple have been banned – again – from selling rituals where toxic frog juice is rubbed into wounds. It comes after a NSW women died during a Kambo ceremony in March.
An Adelaide couple have been banned — again — from selling rituals where toxic frog juice is rubbed into open wounds.
A NSW woman died in March after doing a “Kambo” ceremony, which often involves rubbing an Amazonian frog’s secretions into burns deliberately made in the skin.
Carlie J Angel and Brad T Williams from Christies Beach advertise Kambo through their business, Two Wolves - One Body, claiming it is a powerful natural healing medicine.
After the NSW woman’s death, the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner issued a prohibition order against the practice, an order that covered the South Australian pair although they were not involved.
However, that order lapsed on June 25.
On Friday, South Australian Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner Grant Davies slapped an interim order back on them.
“After receiving the expert advice, it was clear to me that Kambo could be very dangerous for some individuals,” Dr Davies said.
Ms Angel and Mr Williams had signed an undertaking not to offer Kambo in the meantime; however, bookings appeared to be open on their site this morning.
They emphasise that their practice is not connected to the NSW death.
Their website offers to keep people up to date on Kambo ceremonies, and outlines a wide range of health issues it is purported to help with, from malaria to dark energy.
According to their website, frogs are not hurt by the collection of their secretions if harvested properly.
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The frogs - commonly known as the giant monkey frog, giant leaf frog, or waxy-monkey treefrog - are tied by each leg with strings, and held in an ‘x’ shape. The toes are sometimes massaged to encourage the glands to secret the Kambo, which is then dried and used in the ritual.
Dr Davies said the Commission’s investigation would continue for the 12 weeks of the interim order.
“Ms Angel and Mr Williams have been forthcoming and helpful in this process and I credit them for that,” he said.
If anyone has concerns about the Kambo treatment, they should contact the HCSCC on 08 8226 8666 or info@hcscc.sa.gov.au.