The Bufo Alvarius Toad refers to the toad species that is native to the Sonoran Desert, which covers the territory from Arizona, US to Sonora, MX. Its scientific classification is Incilus Alvarius and also is known as the Colorado River Toad.

The Toads like wet environments and warm weather, only during the night can be seen around eating all kind of bugs they find in their way. It is said that they can eat smaller animals, like other frogs or mice.

Therefore, only during summer as long as the rainy season lasts, the toads come out for their nightly activities. In any other time, they plough under the ground and stay until next night or even until next season.

The Toads seem to like being on their own, the do not show any kind of social interaction with other animals, not even with other toads of same species; except for the reproduction purposes, usually a smaller toad hugs the neck from the back of a bigger toad. Then they lay their eggs on a pond and their cycle of life starts again.

Some families have reported to have the same toad living freely on their backyard for more than 5 years, which makes us think that the toads like to stick to their same den for long periods of their life. However, as long as they have water and warms weather, bugs and mates, they seem to adapts easily to new places, like when humans reallocates them to other lands.

If you are at the Sonoran Desert during Toad’s season, you can find plenty of them on urban areas and farms around lightbulbs that attract bugs, it becomes easier for them to eat abundantly. But when there are no lights near enough, like on the wild desert, they are around the ponds that the rain left behind, it becomes harder for the human eyes to watch them.

They usually are not disturbed by other mammals, but from time to time, dogs are poisoned to death for having eaten a Bufo Alvarius Toad. Humans get rid of them, some householder finds them disgusting and warehouses need to keep their areas empty for sanitary reasons, and often you can find toads smashed by a car.

Local tribes have developed specific practices related to this animal on their cultural activities, like memorials, prayers for rain and abundance, protection for war, and other type of sorcery, power and healing endeavors.

After 2010, the Bufo Alvarius Toad became viral on social media and nowadays is better known for the substance located on the glands that they have on their neck and legs. Herpetologists say that this substance is a mixture of hormones and serums that these toads produce for their own metabolism, also it is said that saves energy and that they could use it for the species protection mechanisms. Also this substance has been used for human consumption, and under the right circumstances may be able to provide healing for mental disorders like anxiety, depression, traumas, among others health conditions.

Scientists claim that the substance on the Bufo Alvarius Toad contains a cocktail of different molecules, but particularly the 5-Meo-DMT which is an indoleakylamine tryptamine derivative that is known for its potent psychedelic properties, which happens to be located in many other substances used by other tribes around the world, and has been crowned by the scientist as the cause of this effect.

What's more, many other people claim that it provides a connection with the divine in a spiritual way, a portal from a metaphysical perspective, and anecdotical testimonies provide information about circumstances that cannot be measured and replicated with the tools of modern science.

Why is it called “Medicine”?

There is a need in society to solve depression, anxiety, trauma, addictions, among other diseases. The allopathic method has failed to truly solve these problems and have just covered up the symptoms, and most of the time causing undesired secondary effects on the patients.

Therefore, the people struggling with this kind of disorders look for alternatives to find their wellbeing. Since 2010, the Toad Medicine has been gaining, a reputation of being capable of helping patients to overcome their situation.

That is why sometimes it is called as a medicine when it is used under the right circumstances, but not necessarily it can be used for that purpose. In fact, it may harm somebody when it is maliciously provided or under the wrong conditions.

People trying to facilitate this substance has grown all over the world. Some of which do not have enough experience to handle and contain other people process, and even worse, they are convincing other people to try the experience without providing enough information about it and take safety precautions associated to the risks before facilitating the substance.

It drives us to this question: How can it be used to heal trauma and unwanted behavioral patterns?

One way is through Indigenous practices of traditional medicines, which approaches each case from an integral perspective to find out what the patient necessities are, considering body, mind and spirit. And other way, are the clinical practices which provide therapeutic methods based on the data available through scientific procedures.

The use of substances on clinical practices has been developing since mid-1900`s but were stopped by the global policy of the so called “War on Drugs”, allowing only specific allopathic practices conveniently promoted by pharmaceuticals, that have failed to heal disorders but covering symptoms. Recently [2022], new clinical protocols to research on the use of controlled substances have been approved by different governments, which means that policies are shifting towards enabling the use of controlled substances.

Either way, is important for people to know how to approach a journey to experience this alternative healing experiences.

This comes down to the Tribes of the Sonoran Desert. These tribes have been in the Sonoran Desert longer than the current civilization, and with that, it comes their traditions and knowledge that has been transferred from generation to generation. It is very well documented the violence that has been held towards these group of people since the colonial times. Yet they have keep standing on their territories, and everything on it, including plants, animals, minerals and their ecosystems.

Therefore, their wellbeing and rights, as of the other Original Nations in the world, have been recognized by international treaties which entitles them with the right of taking advantage of the natural resources of their land. This provides to the Sonoran Desert Tribes the rightful protection to trade the Toad Medicine.

Local tribes have developed specific practices related to this animal on their cultural activities, like memorials, prayers for rain and abundance, protection for war, and other type of sorcery, power and healing endeavors.

Their practices are held under their traditional ceremonies, and usually they do not discuss their cultural knowledge, they just practice it as it is, as it was practiced by their elders, and so on. Most of them are kept only for the practitioners and attendants during the cultural event. What elders speak about is of their stories and songs, usually related to insights about life and nature.

For the Toad Medicine is no different, and usually when they talk openly about it they will only mention aspects related to the practices and information that are already publicly discussed. But the core aspects of cultural heritage related to the Toads are kept privately.

There is a public discussion about whether the Toad Medicine is a traditional practice or not, and many visitors come to find that answer. During the time we have spent with the Sonoran Tribes, we noticed this phenomenon occur many times, one-time visitors try to get as much information as they can, they will always ask to the elders the direct questions like “How did you find out you?”, “How did you smoked it before glass pipes?”, “When did you try it the first time?” and many other questions which may be natural to ask in the western society, but not in this communities.

This knowledge is not given away like scientific data does, it is usually earned by participating in the right moment when the ceremony occurs and is not to be spoken after. It becomes intimate for that participant rather than secret. That knowledge is for the benefit of the attendant, not a public good that should be informed openly.

There is another aspect to be considered, a lot of the knowledge held by the Original Nations has been kept over the cost of blood and suffering, thus, asking for this information could mean a lack of compassion if not of respect.

Also notice that these Tribes are alive, sometimes we talk about them as an anthropological object or even try to find evidence through arqueological resources. It is very important to recognize their existence, the cultural diversity that they provide to humanity. We should point out that there still exist a systematic discrimination and a condescended approach from governments and society towards the tribes, which most of the time is overlooked and has become normalized, instead of being a diversity recognition and repairment of the damages cause by the colonial expansion.

Therefore, when you receive the Toad Medicine, make sure that it comes from any of the Tribes of Sonora.

As part of the Supply Demand we talked before, Guilds of Practitioners and Retreats Centers are a key piece for the FTT- DAO model. They participate as distributors of the Toad Medicine but also as witnesses of the Best Practices of those who deliver it.

#knowyour5ource campaigne also intends to anticipate to damage control that has been needed before. That applies also by distributing the medicine through well known practitioners and their community.

Being Decentralized allows us to be more open without the necessity of someone (a central entity) deciding who is in or out.

Collectively we can vouch for the best practitioners and avoid malicious practices.

Once again, Traceability and Transparency provide accurate data about the reputation needed to facilitate safely the Toad Medicine to the final users (that could be you!).

Therefore, through Blockchain with the new "Web3" technology, each Guild or Retreat Center will be able to announce their services and the final user will be able to easily verify if they are part of the FTT - DAO model and their reputation, here is an extreme use case to illustrate this better:

Malpractitioner - Responsable Collective: When the final user reports mal practice from certain practitioner, the collective will stop distributing Toad Medicine to the whomever does the malpractice, and will apply damage control to the practitioner and the user. This is possible because we all know who was the practitioner (#kowyour5ource), so we can trace who delivered the Toad Medicine, and we can trust our network to take action.

Damage control

Let's remember that our community started for the necessity of bringing support to many people who couldn't integrate their Toad Experience, and were left alone by the practitioner who deliver it.

This has been a great opportunity to join as a community, getting organized and collectively learn and support each other.

Therefore the Damage Control protocol should be our last resource, the tools and learnings we have developed as a community are strong enough to avoid any malicious practice.