A mother has wept uncontrollably at a coronial inquest in Lismore while hearing that her son's death was described as a "beautiful occasion".
Key points:
- A witness told the inquest that event organiser Soulore "Lore" Solaris played guitar while Jarrad Antonovich was dying
- She told the coroner that Mr Antonovich's neck was severely swollen hours before an ambulance was called
- A friend of Mr Antonovich's told the court that Mr Solaris told him "a couple of kinesiologists" couldn't find "anything wrong" with the 46-year-old
Jarrad Antonovich died on October 16, 2021, at the six-day Dreaming Arts Festival held in Collins Creek, north of Kyogle in New South Wales.
The court has been told he used kambo frog poison and a powerful psychedelic substance while at the retreat, although the cause of his death was a perforated oesophagus.
State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan will investigate whether the excessive vomiting often associated with ayahuasca and kambo ceremonies caused the fatal tear.
Mr Antonovich's former partner, Patrick Santucci, gave evidence during the inquiry's third day.
He told the court he spoke with the organiser of the festival, Soulore "Lore" Solaris, on the phone the day after his friend's death and took notes at the time.
He said Mr Antonovich's death was described as a "beautiful occasion".
"He kept referring to how beautiful his passing was, that he had good support, a couple of kinesiologists with him and they couldn't find anything wrong," Mr Santucci said.
The Australian Kinesiology Association webpage defines the practice as "holistic health disciplines which use the gentle art of muscle monitoring to access information about a person's wellbeing".
Mr Santucci testified that he was told Mr Antonovich "was surrounded by people who loved him and an Aboriginal elder called Uncle Andrew who was chanting sacred songs and calling the spirit out of his body".
He said Mr Solaris told him "the koalas were making a special sound that is known to the elders when the land accepts a spirit".
Mr Santucci said he found the attitude towards his close friend's death distressing.
"He had a lot to live for," he said.
"Don't give me the story about how beautiful his passing was."
Mr Atononovich's mother had to be helped from the court during Mr Santucci's evidence, prompting a temporary adjournment.
Kambo devotees make small dot-like burns on their skin before applying poison harvested from the Amazonian giant tree-frog, which induces severe vomiting.
The process is claimed to rid the body of toxins, but Australian health authorities say there is no evidence to support that claim, and that kambo carries the risk of heart attack and damage to the liver and stomach.
'Guided to trust the medicine'
The inquest has heard Mr Antonovich was observed looking unwell during the morning of the day of this death, but an ambulance was not called until about 11.30 that night and took an hour to arrive at the remote location.
On Wednesday Bella Gardner, who paid $1,250 to attend the festival, told the inquest she saw Mr Antonovich at about 11:00am, soon after he had taken kambo.
"His neck was swollen, the same line as his jaw line," she said.
"I understand that kambo can make your face swollen, but this was his neck."
In her initial statement to police Ms Gardner said she "didn't know if his head was going to explode" due to the swelling.
The court heard Mr Antonovich was later helped into a hall, where an ayahuasca ceremony was due to take place.
Ayahuasca is traditionally used by indigenous South American shamans, or natural healers, with promises of spiritual, physical and psychological healing and growth.
The plant grows only in the Amazon and when brewed with other natural jungle products becomes one of the most powerful hallucinogens in the world.
Ms Gardner became visibly upset when she was asked to recall what happened in the hall.
"I could hear a radio and someone being guided in CPR," she said.
"Lore was up the front strumming his guitar — he did not go back.
"In the breaks between the songs we could hear Mr Antonovich in pain and the radio going 'one-two-three, breathe.'"
When asked why she did not attempt to help Mr Antonovich, Ms Gardner told the court participants were instructed not to interfere with anyone's journey.
She said their wellbeing was the responsibility of the practitioners, or so-called shamans.
"We put our lives in their hands," she said.
"We are guided to trust the medicine, trust the process and trust them."
Mr Solaris is one of a number of witnesses yet to give evidence at the inquiry, which continues on Thursday.