The Story in a Cacao Nut Shell

Our journey with frankincense began in 2014 on a small island in the south of Thailand. Within just six months, we fell in love, moved across the world, and opened a raw chocolate company—all after meeting on a mountain top dance floor in California. But that’s a story for another time.

SmokeWalker: The Archetype 

In our chocolate shop nestled in paradise, we started burning frankincense resin. Little did we know that it would awaken something ancient and powerful within us. The smoke seemed to trigger a remembrance in our minds, a connection through time that felt primal, as if we had known this scent for eons.

The archetype that emerged was that of a hooded figure wielding a cauldron, full of Earth’s finest sacraments. These figures can still be found roaming the medinas of Morocco, walking barefoot through temples in Thailand, or tending shrines in Nepal. These are the SmokeWalkers, figures who carry the cauldron, spreading the offerings of cleansing and lifting humanity’s whispered prayers.

Our Island Temple

We weren’t initiated into this path by an ancient lineage. Instead, we stumbled into it. Our chocolate gained a following, some might say a tantric cult following, and so we built a temple to Ganesh. But that’s another story for another time.

Tending to that temple stirred something in us—something as natural and obvious as an afternoon tropical rain. Frankincense brought with it a sense of abundance, and we burned it as an offering. Heaps of smoldering coals filled cauldrons at every corner of our shop, which had morphed into a Temple to Ganesh with a raw chocolate stall on the side. A nightly ritual emerged, without any real intention on our part. As the sun set, the smoke began to thicken. Customers started calling it the “Weekend Puja Burn,” and those who sat within the smoke would often find themselves in a trance.

A Ritual was Awakened

Sometimes, powerful rituals unfold naturally—without planning or expectation. We simply acted on inspiration, and in those moments, we tapped into something deeper, more mystical. The ritual became a sacred act of remembrance, a moment to pause and reconnect with something larger than ourselves.

The Road to Oman: A Birthday Adventure and a Visa Denied

A few years later, our devotion to the ritual of burning resin continued. But when a supply issue arose with our connection in Oman, we decided it was time to visit the land of frankincense. My 30th birthday was approaching, and we figured it was the perfect time to make the journey.

We applied for a visa. Denied. We tried again. Denied. And again. Denied. Eventually, the secretary at the Omani Embassy told us off the record that we would continue to be denied because of our face tattoos.

It was a hard reality to face, but we refused to accept it. So we bought plane tickets anyway. We landed in Oman on my 30th birthday, with no visa and no real plans.

Oman: Everyone is Welcome… except you

As we arrived at immigration, we were stopped. “Sorry, sir, ma’am, but we have a problem,” they said. They escorted us to an office, while our un-tattooed friend breezed through customs, welcomed by the ironic banner at baggage claim: “Oman: Everyone is Welcome.” We waved goodbye to our friend and followed our new “friend” to an office.

Long story short, after a four-hour ordeal, the kind officials told us they couldn’t guarantee our safety and advised us to be cautious. And if anyone asked, we were Christians. Welcome to Oman.

SmokeWalkers is Born

Despite the challenges, we returned almost a month later, carrying 16 duffle bags full of the finest frankincense on the planet.

And that’s how SmokeWalkers was born.

Smokey Prayers

I wish I could elaborate more, but we are now parents to three wild boys, and my window to share our story is closing as the baby stirs.

But the essence of it remains. A decade of smoky prayers and sharing this resin reminds us time and time again how precious it is to give, to tend, and to honor what we’ve been given—just because. Just because it's a moment outside of yourself, a chance to honor the greater forces that make life so beautifully impossible.

Ode to Sacra

We are deeply honored to be stewards of this resin, to experience its distilled essence, to reach into sacks full of resinous gems, and to remind others to pause and be present through the senses. We’re grateful to have walked this ancient frankincense trail, to support the caretakers of these resilient trees, and to be part of a replanting project that meets the growing need for frankincense’s healing gifts.

We are blessed to breathe in this blessing, offer our gifts to the wind, and speak prayers into the smoke.

With Reverence, Respect, and Revel,
Peri & Angus SmokeWalker