Kalaako facts for kids

The Kalaako (also spelled Kalarko) were an Aboriginal Australian people. They lived in the Goldfields-Esperance area of Western Australia.

Kalaako Traditional Lands

The Kalaako people lived on a large area of land. According to a researcher named Norman Tindale, their traditional country covered about 24,000 square miles (62,000 square kilometers). This land stretched from places like Green Patch and Scaddan in the south, going north past Widgemooltha.

Their territory included important spots like Mount Monger, Golden Ridge, and Burbanks. To the east, their land reached about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Fraser Range. This area was special because it had a red ochre mine, which they called Karkanja. Their western border was near the Bremer Range.

Many lakes and mountains were part of Kalaako country. These included the Johnston Lakes, Mount Holland, Barker Lake, Koongornin, Norseman, and Salmon Gums.

Neighbouring Peoples

The Kalaako shared their borders with several other Aboriginal groups. Moving clockwise from the north, their neighbours were the Maduwongga people. To the northeast were the Tjeraridjal. The Ngadjunmaia people lived to their east, and the Njunga were directly south. To the southwest were the Wudjari, and the Njakinjaki lived to the west. Finally, the Kalamaia people were to their northwest.

Other Names for Kalaako

The Kalaako people were also known by a couple of other names:

• Kalarko
• Malba