Blossoming beauty

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce started the Narcissus Festival nearly 60 years ago as a means to showcase Chinese art and culture. The original festival included an array of cultural activities, among them art exhibits, a fashion show and "A Night in Chinatown," which highlighted the first Narcissus Queen, Janet Chun. The festival has grown to include the "Splendor of China" cultural festival and trade show, "Two Nights in Chinatown," a coronation ball and a goodwill tour of China.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM

Dan Yuan comes up for air during a lion-dance course for Narcissus queen contestants held at Gee Young International Martial Arts Dragon and Lion Dance Association. Cultural classes like these are part of the contestants' pageant preparation.

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"From a staging point of view, the pageant has become more professional. The opening numbers, costumes and props are much more elaborate," said Michele Choy, who has helped with the pageant for 35 years.

"But the real highlight is seeing the growth of the girls. The introvert becomes the extrovert."

Janet Chun, 1950

Chun is being treated for a neurological illness and is unable to speak, but her husband, Bernard, remembers her Narcissus reign well.

As a contestant, Chun participated in a bathing-suit contest, recited a Chinese poem, modeled a Chinese formal dress and answered some questions. Bernard, her fiance at the time, remembers that she was sent to a modeling school so she could "learn how to walk." Travel was limited to California, Seattle and Vancouver.

"We used to go to all of the society meetings and Chinese dinners together," he said. "She was born in Hawaii, but her parents took her back to China for four or five years. She was very fluent in the Chinese language."

Chun passed along the Chinese culture to their seven daughters and one son. "I give her credit because she influenced their studies. Four of our kids are doctors, and all of them have their master's degrees."

Her queen status never went to her head. "She only thought about being a housewife," Bernard said. When the kids were grown, she helped with his oral-surgery practice.

Chun's charm classes must have paid off, as well. "She never raised her voice," Bernard said. "And, she never said anything bad about anyone."

Carolyn Tong Chee, 1955

"All of the girls look pretty on stage if they put on the right makeup and dress," she explained. "Thereafter, it became more of a talent contest. Nowadays they are teaching more of the culture."

Chee was in her first year as a University of Hawaii student when she was selected as queen. She described that year as a difficult juggling act. "My studies suffered because we were out almost every single night. I had to spread myself thin. We were forced to learn how to balance activities."

Another struggle was overcoming the idea of wasting food. Almost all her public engagements involved food. "By the time I had gained 10 pounds, I realized I had to change the way my father had taught me not to waste food -- that if people put food on your plate, you eat it."

She learned to leave some food on her plate so the host wouldn't serve her seconds.

Coming from a poor family, Chee was extremely grateful for the travel opportunities and the scholarships she received through the pageant.

"Being a queen was everything during that time. It helped you grow up fast, have more poise, and we met lots of people. We needed to learn the reality of things quickly -- we needed to build our confidence on stage."

Linda Tom Klein, 1959

"I remember standing on the beach with Miss Hawaii and the Cherry Blossom Queen holding a newspaper that announced statehood," Klein said. That picture was circulated around the globe, and Klein soon found herself with dozens of marriage proposals from men from Taipei, China, Canada and throughout the United States.

"It was very flattering and pretty funny," she said. "One potato farmer from Idaho even sent a photo of him in his long johns."

She decided to forgo the proposals and later married plastic surgeon Andrew Klein in Anaheim, Calif. "We have one son, one daughter and now five grandchildren."

As queen, Klein traveled with Miss Alaska promoting statehood. "I was 19 years old and had never left Hawaii. ... I learned a lot on that trip."

She traveled with her cheongsam and a sarong. "The sarong was needed so that I would look like someone from Hawaii. Miss Alaska brought along her parka," Klein said. "We made appearances in New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C." They also visited Canada, Mexico and toured Asia.

Klein was unaccustomed to so much attention. She recalled that reporters came to her home to record what she was eating prior to the coronation. "My dad was from China, my mom from Hawaii. They fed me a little bit of everything, so it looked like I was eating a nine-course meal."

Fan mail, flowers and presents flooded her mailbox during her reign. "I felt like a movie star ... like, these people think I'm someone special."

Lisa Ontai, 1986

Ontai was the first college graduate to become queen. "I was a registered nurse at the time. ... The chamber liked the extra maturity, since we had to attend so many dinners with different dignitaries."

In those days, formalities were observed. "Whenever we arrived in a new city, the queen was not to be seen carrying anything -- like my luggage or purse. ... We wore dresses during the day, and at night, cheongsam gowns. I was actually traveling with about five cheongsam sequined gowns that had to be hand-carried and were super-heavy."

Her celebrity status traveled with her to China. "We were followed by reporters who documented our travels. I was constantly asked what I thought of their country, what I was buying and did I plan to return."

She did things her daughters "would never dream their old mom would be capable of doing": riding in a parade to be presented with a proclamation at the state Legislature, attending a dinner in her honor at the Great Hall of the People in China, modeling a one-of-a-kind Tadashi, crash-learning Chinese phrases minutes before a live television interview in Taipei.

Seeing the accomplishments of her ancestors firsthand, she said, "left me in awe of the rich and long history of the Chinese."

Catherine Wong Jayne, 2008

At the end of her tour, she was able to visit her ancestral village in China. "I saw the house that my great-grandmother lived in before she came to Hawaii." She learned to trace her roots in a Chinese culture and history class, which she names as among her favorites.

"We were able to see the sacrifices of our ancestors. They came to this country and worked so hard. I couldn't be where I am today without them."

From all of her public appearances, Jayne gained confidence. And from the volunteer instructors and pageant coordinators, she learned about service.

"These people donate so much of their time to us. Watching them motivates me to want to do the same," she said. Jayne has gone to schools and read to the children, participated in World Children's Day and raised money for the Ronald McDonald House. "I love going to these different organizations and seeing how they work."

Jayne also was inspired by all those who were interested in celebrating and perpetuating Chinese culture. "It's a reflection of where we came from," she said.

Jayne is studying for her master's degree in the University of Hawaii public administration program. "Before my pageant, I read all of the old Narcissus Queens' messages, and they gave me insight and inspiration."

Next week she passes on her crown, hoping to pass on her own insight to future queens.