Mantua Nangala was born around 1959 at Tjulyurunya, near the important ceremonial site of Marrapinti in Western Australia. The family moved around the Jupiter Well area of western Australia before being contacted by one of Jeremy Long’s welfare patrols in 1963. In 1964, the family moved into Papunya, alomg with many other Pintupi people.

In 1981, Mantua moved back to Kintore and then three years later to Kiwirrkurra, in western Australia, the nearest Pintupi community to her home country.

Mantua took up painting in 1998 and paints for Papunya Tula Artists and private dealers.

Mantua comes from a gifted painting family, her father being Anatjari Tjampitjinpa and is the sister of Ray James Tjangala and Yinarupa Nangala and the half sister of George Yapa Tjangala.