Chris Jackamarra was born at Carrolup Mission near the town of Katanning. He was taken from his mother at two years of age and spent most of his childhood in Sister Kate's Children's Home, Perth. Both of Chris's parents were stolen from their families and institutionalised. Chris's mother, Cella Doris was born in 1932 under a mulga tree at Mulga Downs station north of Mt Tom Price in the Pilbara. Chris's father, Joseph Robert Jackamarra, was born in the Toodyay area. Cella and Joseph were both institutionalised at Moore River Native Settlement as young children. Chris has worked as an Aboriginal Health Worker with the Wheatbelt Aboriginal Corporation in Northam.