From the Napo River to the Matsés: Continuing the Circle of Reciprocity

Relationships as Medicine

I’ve been thinking a lot about relationships lately, especially those born from working with Earth medicines.

There are the visible relationships: between people who cultivate, harvest, and prepare traditional medicines; between pollinators, fungi, roots, and soil; and the sacred relationship plants have with the sun — transforming light into nourishment, and nourishment into healing.

And then there are the invisible ones. The bonds formed through sharing these medicines. From guiding herbal and nutrition clients, to teaching students how to grow and connect with plants, to facilitating Kambô ceremonies — these experiences have brought incredible people into my life. Teachers, mentors, colleagues, students, friends, and kin. Across mountains, rivers, and continents, these relationships remind me that healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in a relationship.

Resilience, too, is relational. The Earth teaches us that ecosystems thrive through networks of mutual support — just like communities do. That’s one of the core values behind Earth Medicine Apparel Co.: cultivating relationships of reciprocity, creativity, and care at every level — from our sourcing and printshop partners to our customers, collaborators, and impact campaigns. Every design we make carries the story of those relationships.

Celebrating What We’ve Built Together

This summer, we reached a huge milestone: together, we exceeded our impact campaign goal for the Ríos-Javá Family.

Thanks to our customers, fellow Kambô facilitators, and private donors, we were able to send 16,200 Peruvian Soles (about $4,800 USD) to Ecomunidad Nativa Kambo Family, the healing center and nature reserve founded by the late Maestro Jhonny Javá and his wife, Uli.

With these funds, the family rebuilt their maloca (healing space), guest housing, kitchen, and communal areas — restoring a place that continues to serve as a bridge between cultures and a sanctuary for traditional healing.

Our dear friend Caitlin Thompson of Medicine Frog Kambô recently visited the Javá family and sent back reflections from her time there, which we share below (also here). We’re endlessly grateful for everyone who helped make this possible.

Continuing the Circle: Our Commitment to the Matsés

As this campaign comes full circle, our next chapter focuses on supporting another community deeply connected to Kambô: the Matsés people of the Peruvian Amazon.

When I first visited their community in 2022, I was struck by their generosity and resilience. The Matsés — known as master jungle survivors and protectors — are among the first peoples to work with Dau-ket (the secretion of the Phyllomedusa bicolor frog) and to understand its healing power.

They welcomed us with open arms, feeding us jungle chicken soup, yucca, and beans. We sat in council and listened. They told us what would truly help: rainwater collection and filtration systems, solar energy, antivenom, school supplies, and land titling support.

In the years since, the community has achieved remarkable progress — building a school, securing clean water systems, and expanding access to healthcare. Yet challenges remain: maintaining infrastructure, affording medicine and fuel, and navigating new regulations that affect their ability to share Kambô and other sacred medicines.

Through these ongoing relationships, we’ve stayed in close contact with Daniel, a community leader who continues to advocate for the well-being and sovereignty of his people.

That’s why, as we advance, we’re pledging 3% of profits from all remaining Kambô Collection designs (except Maestro Kambo, which will continue to support the Ríos-Javá family) will now directly benefit the Matsés community we’re in kinship with.

Honoring the Web That Connects Us

Every shirt, every story, and every connection that grows through this work strengthens the web between people and place — from the Rocky Mountains to the heart of the Amazon.

Thank you for walking this path with us, for supporting Indigenous-led initiatives, and for keeping these sacred relationships alive.

In our next newsletter, we’ll preview our upcoming Holiday Collection inspired by new Earth Medicines, new art, and the same spirit of reciprocity that started it all.

With gratitude and reverence,

Founder, Earth Medicine Apparel Co.