Experts slam ‘shamans’ for promoting toxic ancient frog ritual

Experts have raised the alarm over dangerous hippy health practices as an inquest revealed harrowing details about the death of two people who ingested poisonous frog mucus.

Kambo Amazon frog poison medicine. Picture: iStock

Experts have called for an urgent information campaign to educate people about the dangers of hippy health practices after two people died from poisonous frog mucus while replicating an ancient Amazonian ritual.

Scientists have raised the alarm over Australians turning to complex cultural rituals without understanding the risks after an inquest heard that Lismore man Jarrad Antonovich tore his throat, likely by violently vomiting, following a dangerous psychedelic drug ritual.

Mr Antonovich, 46, died from a perforated oesophagus on October 16, 2021 after taking kambo frog secretions and ayahuasca — a plant-based hallucinogenic drug — while at the Dreaming Arts festival retreat at Collins Creek near Kyogle in the state’s north.

Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan is investigating whether vomiting — common in the drug ceremonies — caused the deadly tear.

The inquests have revealed how Mr Antonovich looked like “a frog” after the ceremony.

The inquest is being held at Lismore, while inquest findings into the death of Natasha Lechner, 39, are due on Friday.

Ms Lechner died suddenly after taking part in a “kambo ceremony” just two years before Mr Antonovich.

The harrowing revelations from the inquests have prompted warnings from pharmacologist Dr Ian Musgrave, who said Australians are consistently “abstracting” complex cultural healing practices from ancient cultures and practising them without understanding the risks.

“The effects of toxins in Kambo are very potent, you have the vomiting, the urination, this is a strong physical challenge and you are using it in a population that may not reflect the fitness of a traditional society in the Amazon,” he said.

Dr Musgrave said ayahuasca was another example of cultural practices that were dangerous when taken out of context.

Kambo Amazon frog poison is used in an ancient Amazonian ritual.

“It’s not just dying … these things can cause all kinds of things, they can cause a stroke, you might end up in hospital with non-stop vomiting, there are other things that can happen.”

The inquest heard part of the retreat run by “shaman” Soulore ‘Lore’ Solaris involved multiple ayahuasca ceremonies, with the “inner circle” making the drug themselves in “concrete buckets”.

Witness and ceremony participant James Mackney said he was thinking “was this f — king normal?” when he noticed Mr Antonovich’s swollen “frog face”.

But Mr Mackney told the inquest Mr Antonovich replied: “No, don’t call an ambulance.”

Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon said education was the “key” and regulations should not be made for “regulation’s sake.”

Natasha Lechner.

Jarrad Antonovich.

“Anything that sheds light on or educates people on the risks that may be involved in anything they do, including spiritual practices and unconventional medicines, is welcome,” the mayor said.

“Education is the key. The danger with regulations is its ability to be enforced, you don’t want to do regulation for regulations sake.”

Australian Museum frog biologist Jodi Rowley said kambo was often collected through animal cruelty and consumers could not be certain that, even when administered safely, that the secretion had come from the right frogs.

“It’s one thing to be told it’s kambo from a particular species in Amazon, but what other frogs are they using?

“You don’t know the strength of, you don’t know what species it came from.

“This is a really dangerous game.”