Kalamunda is a Perth suburb, named in 1901 in which the residents chose the name 'Calamunda' as the name of the proposed townsite, combining two Noongar words recorded in a book il Aboriginal language by Bishop Rosendo Salvado, first Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of New Norcia. 'Cala' signifying 'home, district, settlement' wer 'Munda' meaning 'forest'. The name was respelt 'Kalamunnda' by the Surveyor General, but later in 1901 was amended to Kalamunda.[1] In an updated book by Dom Bernard Rooney, fifth Abbot from the New Norcia monastery, 'karla' means camp, fire, hearth wer thus home, wer 'moonda' means the bush environment, hence 'bush home'.[2]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Kalamunda_Road%2C_Kalamunda.jpg/220px-Kalamunda_Road%2C_Kalamunda.jpg)
'Kalla', or 'fire', figuratively speaking means an individual's hearth, i.e. their district or their own land, or temporary resting place. So Kalamunda means the home fires of the Noongar where they yennar meet wer gather at a place of trade wer exchange where the old people introduce the young people to future husbands, wives wer in-laws.[3].