Jarrad Antonovich inquest: Northern Rivers has ayahuasca psychedelic drug ‘church’, kambo death probe hears

A “shaman” alleged to have sung as a man died after taking frog poison at a bizarre ceremony has appeared at an inquest – which also heard the Northern Rivers has an ayahuasca psychedelic drug “church”.

A Coronial inquest at Lismore has heard Jarrad Antonovich died as a result of a perforation, or tear, to his oesophagus, likely caused by vomiting induced by consumption of ayahuasca and kambo at a Northern Rivers “ceremony”.

A woman who was with Northern Rivers man Jarrad Antonovich when he died at a wild drug and “kambo” frog poison ceremony has told an inquest she felt “he left his body” after he collapsed during a “prayer meeting”.

It comes as the inquest also heard the region has an ayahuasca psychedelic drug “church”.

Dominique Vollaers was at the Dreaming Arts festival, a six-day retreat at Arcoora near Kyogle in northern NSW, where Mr Antonovich, 46, died in October 2021.

Lore Solaris was a “shaman” at the ceremony. Picture: Facebook.

At the ceremony, two so-called “shamans” – Soulore ‘Lore’ Solaris and Laara Cooper – had an “inner circle” of followers who would make the ayahuasca in “concrete buckets”, the Byron and Lismore coronial inquest into Mr Antonovich’s death previously heard.

Mr Antonovich deteriorated towards midnight. Organisers at Mr Solaris’ retreat allegedly watched him suffer for almost 12 hours before an ambulance was called.

According to witnesses, Mr Antonovich “looked like a frog” and his face and neck were so swollen witnesses thought he was going to “explode”.

As Mr Antonovich lay in the entrance of a ceremonial hall, Mr Solaris strummed on a guitar as bystanders provided medical aid, a witness alleged at the inquest.

Mr Antonovich’s former lover Patrick Santucci said throughout the inquest Mr Solaris told him the death was a “beautiful passing”.

Mr Santucci said he was told “the koalas were making a special noise to the elders”.

Mr Solaris is at the inquest at Byron on Thursday.

Mr Anonovich “looked like a frog” and was in severe pain after taking the substances at the ceremony, the inquest heard.

Ms Vollaers told the inquest she has regularly used ayahuasca and kambo.

The inquest previously heard Mr Antonovich died as a result of a perforation or tear to his oesophagus, likely caused by vomiting induced by consumption of ayahuasca and kambo.

The inquest also heard there was a “church” of ayahuasca – a hallucinogenic drug – in the Northern Rivers, where people gathered to pray.

Ms Vollaers described herself as having “a profound interest and devotion to ayahuasca”.

She said the first time she took kambo she “(felt) like I wanted to die” and had malaria-like symptoms.

“You’re just in bed and you want to die … you’re sweating, you’re aching … your body is at war,” Ms Vollaers said.

She also said she was “profoundly grateful” for kambo and believed it cured her of Lymes disease.

Amazonian frog poison, “kambo” applied to the body.

At the ceremony, while everyone was in a circle, Ms Vollaers grew concerned about Mr Antonovich after she “tuned into” him, she said.

She asked if he had asthma and said she “got a start” when Mr Antonovich said he did.

She arranged for Mr Antonovich to get a puffer but worried she was being “a bit of a mother hen”. Ms Vollaers said at some point she realised “this does not feel good anymore”.

“I remember his rhythm being good until I was concerned about his lungs,” she said.

Ms Vollaers told the inquest she approached Indigenous elder Uncle Andrew Johnston (‘Uncle AJ’) because she felt Mr Antonovich should go to hospital, but “Uncle AJ said no hospital”.

Ms Vollaers says she listened to Mr Johnston, despite concerns, because he was an elder.

“Uncle AJ is an Aboriginal man … (and) I’m just a white girl. They know more than me … he was a man of the land,” she said.

The inquest continues at Byron Bay Courthouse.

She told the inquest she remained at the back of the hall during an ayahuasca ceremony when Mr Antonovich collapsed.

Other people at the ceremony began performing CPR and an ambulance was called, the inquest heard.

“I felt he left his body straight away after he fell,” Ms Vollaers said.

Ms Vollaers said this was why she said “no to the CPR” and remained in the hall while an ambulance was called, “holding the calm, the beauty”.

She addressed previous media coverage about Mr Solaris playing music as Mr Antonovich suffered, calling it unfair.

“Lore was very aware something big was happening at the back of the room … (but he) was holding the whole space … holding the calm,” she said.

Mr Antonovich was in pain and suffering for hours before he died, the inquest has heard.

It is understood one of Mr Solaris’ supporters became involved in a confrontation with a news cameraman outside the courtroom when the inquest adjourned for lunch.

No one has been charged. The inquest before State Coroner Magistrate O’Sullivan continues.

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Originally published as Jarrad Antonovich inquest: Northern Rivers has ayahuasca psychedelic drug ‘church’, kambo death probe hears