‘Awapuhi Labyrinth

Meaning and History

“My calling to create a labyrinth came out of nowhere.

We bought an extra lot, and I had purchased Lauren Artress’ book Walking a Sacred Path, on a whim, not even knowing what it was about.

I had never walked a labyrinth before building one.”

— Christie Wolf, ‘Awapuhi’s Builder

Christie and John Wolf built ‘Awapuhi Labyrinth in 1999 as an experiment in creating sacred space. These photos are scanned originals she sent in the mail, organized chronologically with stories painstakingly handwritten on the backs of each one.

They lived on 26th Avenue in Hawaiian Paradise Park and purchased a second acre lot on 4th Avenue, known locally as ‘Awapuhi Avenue, which is how the labyrinth received its name. ‘Awapuhi means “wild ginger plant” in the Hawaiian language, and it was used to scent and dye tapa cloth.

Above, Christie walks along 4th, still a gravel road in those days, as they begin to clear the space: “Just a one acre lot — covered with uluhe fans and ohia lehua.”

Below, a red cinder “Service Road” goes in along the lot line to help them drive a truck to the labyrinth site in back SE corner. ‘Awapuhi sits atop basalt lava flows. While soil has accumulated over time, and crevasses and lava tubes network below the crust, leveling and planting is not as simple as digging a hole. Luckily, here, no bulldozing was needed. Just some weedwacking, some leveling with a tractor blade, and later, within the circle, one weekend of jackhammering down a hill.

Cinders are spread over the cleared space. Before foot traffic on their shallow sensitive roots and Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death, a fungal infection that began decimating tree populations in 2012, there were many little 'ōhi'as within the labyrinth.

Cinders are spread over the cleared space. Before foot traffic on their shallow sensitive roots and Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death, a fungal infection that began decimating tree populations in 2012, there were many little 'ōhi'as within the labyrinth.

The trail from 4th Ave back to the gazebo site gets marked out. There was a big hole that Christie and John filled in with lava rocks from the jackhammering.

The trail from 4th Ave back to the gazebo site gets marked out. There was a big hole that Christie and John filled in with lava rocks from the jackhammering.

After spending the cinders, Christie placed a concrete form with rebar in the center to hold cables in place. The form has now been incorporated into the pond. She marked path widths on the cable, circling around with spray paint, and here, they are

After spending the cinders, Christie placed a concrete form with rebar in the center to hold cables in place. The form has now been incorporated into the pond. She marked path widths on the cable, circling around with spray paint, and here, they are beginning to speak out wood chips for the path.

Walls are carefully placed to keep mature 'ōhi'a trees out of the paths as much as possible, though one large tree IN the path survived!

Walls are carefully placed to keep mature 'ōhi'a trees out of the paths as much as possible, though one large tree IN the path survived!

‘Awapuhi is an eleven-circuit pattern and double-sized replica of the 13th-century design inlaid into the floor of the Chartres Cathedral in France. The path that winds through ‘Awapuhi’s 90-foot diameter covers four-tenths of a mile one way. So, if you follow the path all the way in and all the way back out again — then add the distance you have walked from the road and back — you will have traveled approximately one mile.