Betty was born in Imanpa, a small community just east of Uluru. Betty’s first language was Pitjantjatjara, but she grew up in a melting pot of Luritja, Warlpiri and Yakunytjatjara people whom all gathered around Mt Ebenezer Station. Betty lived in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) for a few years to attend secondary school before moving to Mimili Community as a young woman.

In Mimili, Betty met her husband Teddy Wangin, a traditional owner for Mimili. When Betty’s three children were growing up, she put great emphasis on passing on her knowledge of bushfoods including the subtle art of reading the signs and listening to the language of country. Today, Betty is renown in Mimili Community for having deep knowledge of where to gather bushtucker, for finding tinka (goanna), and making irmangka-irmangka (healing balm). She is an apt navigator of country, discerning the many different punu (trees) and plants, their healing, cultural and nutritional qualities.

In her artwork, Betty depicts elements of this intimate knowledge of her family’s country, which she continues to teach to her grandchildren today.