Kunmanara grew up on Everard Park Station, where she worked for many years before the closing of the station in the 1970s. Alongside her cousin-sister Tuppy Goodwin, Kunmanara started the first pre-school in Indulkana and Mimili, worked at the Mimili Clinic and Mimili Anangu School, before deciding to share her knowledge and stories through art. Throughout her career she found ways to connect her passions of art, teaching and mentorship, working with school groups, leading bush trips for artists and kids, and developing a digital Yankunytjatjara language resources (wapar).

As the eldest of five siblings, Kunmanara was a natural leader for a long time. She led Mimili Maku Arts as a chairperson for many years, ensuring sustainable growth, culturally safe learning, community wellbeing and artistic excellence. Kunmanara’s paintings continue to reverbrate with her cultural integrity, pride and strength. Her visual language and iconography was very close to her mother Milatjari's, using multi-layered veils of colour to create unique compositions and narratives of her country, celebrating the ongoing cultural connection of Anangu women to Antara.

Kunmanara celebrated Anangu knowledge every day – on and off the canvas. At the art centre, she worked alongside her younger sister, acclaimed painter Betty Kuntiwa Pumani, and her daughter Josina Pumani whom is now an exhibiting artist with the APY Studio in Adelaide. She exhibited both nationally and internationally, and has been recognised in a number of painting prizes within Australia.