yukultji grew up around marruwa, a waterhole near lake mackay. she grew up without knowing about places like kiwirrkurra, or her relatives living there. she had never met anyone from outside her own family. her family lived a completely traditional nomadic way of life. her father, lanti (or "joshua"), had lived for a short time at the mission in balgo, but he had run away after getting into trouble for stealing food. it was his decision to stay in the desert, and kept his family far away from the towns. yukultji's father died sometime around 1980. the family finally came into contact with outsiders in october 1984, and were settled at kiwirrkurra. the event was big news at the time, and the family became famously known as "the last nomads". yukultji was the youngest of this group.