Hawaii activist fought for homestead reform

An Oahu man who formed a statewide grass-roots group called The Hawaiians in 1970 and fought for Hawaiian homestead reforms has died.

Raymond Pae Galdeira Sr., a leader in the Native Hawaiian land rights movement, died May 23 in Las Vegas. He was 74.

Galdeira grew up in Kalihi-Palama and Palolo before moving with his parents to Hawaiian homestead land in Waimanalo in 1950.

He shined shoes and sold newspapers in Waikiki, dropped out during his senior year at Kailua High School and joined the Hawaii National Guard. He later earned his GED and worked as a tour bus owner and as a tour bus driver for E Noa Tours.

Galdeira was working with the Waimanalo Teen Project when he drove a few of the teenagers home to Waimanalo Beach Park, where their families were struggling to keep their tents from collapsing during a rainstorm.

His family said Galdeira became upset that Native Hawaiians were living on the beach and not in a home on Hawaiian homestead land.

At the time, some 2,000 families were waiting for homesteads.

His family said with assistance from many supporters, Galdeira organized his own group, The Hawaiians.

His group, whose statewide membership eventually grew into the thousands, held a protest demonstration at the state Capitol in 1970 and raised questions about favoritism in awarding homesteads. The action led to talks with Gov. John Burns.

Galdeira was arrested in 1974 on Hawaii island for supporting Native Hawaiian rancher Sonny Kaniho, who protested the Hawaiian Homes Commission’s land-use practices, said journalist and historian Ian Lind.

University of Hawaii professor Davianna McGregor said The Hawaiians influenced reforms in commission policies. McGregor, who teaches ethnic studies, said one of the changes focused on the commission seeking compensation from other state departments for the use of Hawaiian homestead lands.

Through his work with the Legal Aid Society, Galdeira helped establish the Community Client Counseling Program and the Hawaiian Coalition of Native Claims — the precursor of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., a group that represents Hawaiians in land and water rights cases, according to his family.

Galdeira is survived by wife Carol; sons Raymond "Bobo," Guy and Lumond "Kimo," and Robert and Ken Davis; daughters Rayana Lum, Odette Generalao and Lisa Kahoano; 27 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be at 2 p.m. July 19 at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Memorial Chapel at Kamehameha Schools. Visitation begins at 12:30 p.m.