Pompey was born on a sand dune near Finke, in the southern Northern Territory. This inspired her name; "" is the word for a sandhill in languages of the Western Desert. Pompey's parents were Yankunytjatjara people from lands further south, around Kalka and Kaṉpi in South Australia. Pompey grew up in the area around Finke, and then moved south to Ernabella when she was a young woman. At the time, this was a Christian mission set up for Aboriginal people coming in from the desert. While living in Ernabella, learned art and craft at the community's craft room. She learned how to sew, make batik, dye fabrics and spin sheep's wool to make rugs.