David Unaipon was born on 28 September 1872, at the Point McLeay mission in the Coorong region of South Australia. His father was James Ngunaitponi and his mother's name was probably Nymbulda. James and Nymbulda had nine children, and David was the fourth. He began his education at the age of seven at the Point McLeay Mission School and quickly became known for his intelligence. Unaipon left school at 13 to work as a servant for C. B. Young in Adelaide, where Young encouraged Unaipon's interest in literature, philosophy, science and music. In 1890, he returned to Point Mcleay, where he worked as an apprentice bootmaker. He was also chosen as the mission's organist. In the late 1890s, he travelled again to Adelaide to find work. He discovered, however, that his skin colour stopped him getting work in bootmaking and instead took a job as a bootmaker's storeman.