Michael was born in the bush at Pikilyi, west of Yuendumu. He lived with his family over the years in Haasts Bluff and then Yuendumu where he atteded the mission school. He went through his first rites of initaion about the age of thirteen and then left school to work; as a buffalo shooter near the East and South Alligator River plains, a truck driver, a cattle drover and the army before heading back to Papunya where he met his wife, Marjorie.

Michael's father died in 1976 and so Michael painted under the instruction of his uncle, Jack Tjupurrula. He won his first art award in 1984 and since then his works have been exhibited worldwide and are held in numerous collections.