Emmanuel Cooper was born on Cummeragunga reserve, New South Wales. Cooper left school at a young age to work for rations on the mission. Cooper's father moved the family across the Murray River to Victoria, after the police tried to take Cooper's sister away to the Cootamundra Girls' Home. The fear of being taken away stayed with Cooper and later in life he frequently moved his own family around to prevent his children from being taken away. Cooper is an Elder of the Yorta Yorta peoples and has served as Elder in the Assemblies of God church in Shepparton, Victoria.
