Debra was born in 1964 and is the eldest daughter of Johnny Yungut Tjupurrula (dec. 2016) and Walangkura Napanangka (dec. 2014). Johnny and Walangkura were both shareholders and highly acclaimed artists, with Johnny first painting through Papunya Tula Artists in 1978, and Walangkura being part of the group of Kintore women who began in 1996.
She has three brothers and two sisters and is married to the water colourist Hilary
Wirri. Debra’s paintings centre around the rockhole and cave site of Tjintjintjin, located on the western side of the Northern Territory.