David Gulpilil

Gulpilil was probably born in 1953. In the 2021 documentary about his life, My Name is Gulpilil, he said that he did not know how old he was. Local missionaries recorded his birth on 1 July 1953, based on "guesswork". He was a man of the Mandjalpingu (Djilba) clan of the Yolngu people, who are an Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.

As a young boy, Gulpilil was an accomplished hunter, tracker, and ceremonial dancer. Gulpilil spent his childhood in the bush, outside the range of non-Aboriginal influences. He did not see a white man until he was 8 years old. He received a traditional upbringing in the care of his family, until the death of his parents. After that, he attended the school at Maningrida in North East Arnhem Land, where he was assigned the English name "David". When he came of age, Gulpilil was initiated into the Mandhalpuyngu tribal group. His skin group totemic animal was the kingfisher (the meaning of the name Gulpilil) and his homeland was Marwuyu.

After appearing in his first film, Walkabout (1971), Gulipilil became fluent in English. He added this to his ability to speak several Aboriginal languages.