His mother was Eileen Briscoe (date of birth unknown; deceased 1987), a daughter of a Marduntjara Woman (Kutju Kungaru) and his father was Syd Kunoth born at Tempe Downs Station 1920, (an Arrernte man), and son of Amelia Kunoth born in a camp opposite 'The Old Telegraph' Station, who became a kitchen maid to the first Telegraph Office at Alice Springs (Frank and Amelia Gillen).

Sam's grandmother on his mother's side was born in the Central Western Desert at place called Puntu Tjarpa between Kuta Tjuta and the Gibson Desert, and she moved towards European development (the Lilla Creek camel depot near the Finke River or what Marduntja people call Larapinta) late in the ninteen teens, possibly about 1917-18.

At the age of seven she went to school at Horseshoe Bend (Itikawarra) and in 1927 was taken by police from New Crown Station to a 'Native Institution' depot in Stuart (now Alice Springs) then called the Stuart 'Half-caste Bungalow'. In 1929 she was moved eighty kilometres from Stuart to a place called Iwaputarka (or Jay Creek) and was interned until 1942. In that year Martial Law was declared and she was moved south by the Military to an aliens camp in Balaclava Adelaide (S.A.) and thence to Mulgoa and Sydney (NSW) as a refugee from the Japanese War. Meanwhile, in 1938 Eileen produced her first son Gordon born in the 'native Institution' at the 'Old Telegraph Station', whom she took with her to the refugee camp in Mulgoa, operated by the NSW Aborigines Protection Board, the NT Native Affairs and the Church of England.  In 1944 Eileen had a second son, Lloyd Allan William at the Camperdown Children's Hospital in Sydney.  In 1945 Eileen was moved, expecting to return to Alice Springs from Sydney with her two boys. On arrival in Adelaide she was removed from the Adelaide Railway Station with her children and interned  in an Aliens camp at Balaclava once more where she was held until some months after the Japanese war had ended.  Eileen was placed in an Aboriginal Protector's wartime employment program at a repatriation hospital at Victor Harbour.

She kept Lloyd with her and left Gordon in a Church of England boys home for boys of mixed Aboriginal other descent.

In 1948 Denis was born to Eileen and Reginald Wickman and in 1949 they, Reg, Bill and Denis returned to Alice Springs where she took a job as a cook in the Alice Springs Memorial Hospital.

In 1950 Eileen had a daughter to Allan Kunoth, and in 1952, Sam was born to Syd Kunoth, Allan's brother.

Sam's early life was disrupted and he spent some time in and out of children’s' homes operated by the Church of England whom Eileen occasionally work for as a cook. Passing through primary school was not easy for Sam and the family in general. In late 1966 Sam moved once more to the eldest brother's home at Greenacre near Bankstown in Sydney. Sam attended Strathfield South High School and soon flourished as a student passing second year with high grades.

In 1968, Sam entered the Kiranari Aboriginal Boys Hostel at Sylvania Heights (NSW) to attend Gymea High School. After achieving his School Certificate Sam trained and completed an apprenticeship in Motor Body Building with Brighton Motor Body Works. Following an extra year at Trades School Sam graduated as a specialist welder and motor body builder tradesman.  It was during his time here that Sam developed interest and skills in Rugby League where he played for the local Sylvania Heights Rugby League team.  He also played Australian Rules for the local team of Miranda, represented New South Wales in the under 17’s and later went on to play with Saint George Australian Rules Football Club in the Sydney competition.  Sam played in two premierships sides for St George 3rd grade side and had three games in the 1st side.

Through his relationship with the late Charles Perkins, Sam was reacquainted with Roy Carroll, a renowned Aboriginal boxing promoter and trainer.  With Roy’s guidance and through the rigorous training program Sam excelled as an amateur fighter, going on to represent Australia in Sydney and later in New Caledonia.  On return to Australia Sam turned professional where he quickly rose to the number 4 middleweight of Australia.  Sam’s promising career was cut short by a shoulder injury where by he had two reconstruction procedures, and it was not until the mid 1980’s that Sam was able to resume a belated return to the ring in Darwin. 
   
He returned to the NT in the early 1970s where he married his first wife Patricia. He then returned to Sydney and resumed his trade and boxing career, purchased a house in Sylvania and this is where his first son Corey was born.  He then applied for a position in the public service in Canberra and worked as a finance officer in the newly formed Aboriginal Hostels Limited (AHL).

In late 1979 Sam separated from Patricia and moved to Darwin in the Northern Territory with Linda.  Here he worked in various jobs, initially in his trade then again with AHL in the regional office as an accounts clerk.  Following this he took a position as director of a community alcohol rehabilitation center F.O.R.W.A.R.D.  After taking a course in book keeping at the Darwin Community College Sam was offered a position as a Traveling Lecturer in Administrative Studies for the same institution, and this involved traveling to Aboriginal communities in the top end and teaching basic skills in administration and book keeping.
  
In 1982 Sam took a position with the Northern Territory Health Department as the Deputy Principal of the Katherine Institute for Aboriginal Health (KIAH).  Over a period of two years with the KIAH Sam participated in policy changes, curriculum development and a restructure of the Aboriginal Health Worker employment program.  The training program still operates out of the Bachelor College, an affiliate of the Northern Territory University.

During 1984-86 Sam worked in the Aboriginal community organization known as Kalarno, initially as the Director of Health, and then as the Executive Director of the whole organization.  Throughout Sam’s stay in the Northern Territory he was active in sports, playing a role as fitness conditioner with the Buffalo Football Club (Australian Rules), captained the Northern Suburbs Rugby League Club, Captain Coached Katherine Bushrangers for the Darwin competition and the Katherine Bulldogs Rugby League team in the local competition.  Additionally Sam resurrected his boxing interest with trained amateur fighters and fought professionally, participating in some memorable stoushes against several top Australian contenders.

In late1986, Sam left the NT and moved back to Canberra, where he worked again with AHL for a short time and then took up a position at the National Library of Australia.  It was here that he developed his reading skills and decided to attend the Center for Further Education at the ANU with the view of entering university as an undergraduate mature age student.  The entry course of two semesters involved studying political science.  This course qualified Sam to sit the ASAT entry test. He was successful, and therefore matriculated into university early in 1988.  Sam is a recipient of the Australian Undergraduate Study Award for Aboriginal hopefuls, which is administered by the Federal Government.  As an undergraduate Sam enrolled in the Faculty of Arts where he undertook reading for Australian History, Human Geography, Anthropology and Australian Archaeology.  While at the Australian National University Sam actively participated in the development of the Aboriginal Students Center (Jabal), contributing as a member of the various committees.  Sam graduated in 1994 majoring with Honors in Archaeology with a field major in Anthropology.

At the completion of his degree Sam was instrumental in the setting up of the first Aboriginal Archaeological consulting business, Australian Archaeological Consultants, where he was a director of that company.

After several years on the road as a consulting archaeologist Sam pursued more regular and permanent work and was employed by Charles Sturt University as a associate lecturer in the Faculty of Arts in the School of Art and Cultural Heritage, based in Alice Springs, situated at the Institute for Aboriginal Development.  He was then offered a full time position at the Albury campus where he continued to work in the Science Faculty in the School of Environmental and Information Sciences as a tenured lecturer. 

After a five year career with the Charles Sturt University Sam enrolled to undertake postgraduate studies at the Latrobe University in Melbourne.  During his time in Melbourne Sam worked as consultant archaeologist, heritage policy officer with Aboriginal Affairs Victoria and as a research officer and lecturer/tutor at the Center for Australian Indigenous Studies, Monash University, Melbourne.  It was during this time that Sam returned to Alice Springs with his small family to undertake ceremonial responsibilities through initiation in the Tanimi Desert deep within Walpari country.  After completing a 18 months contractual obligation to Monash University Sam left Melbourne and moved back to Albury with his family and took up painting as a full time profession.  Sam’s mediums are acrylic on canvas and glass enamel on glass.  Since 2004 Sam has lead the Indigenous production of warm slumped glass, opening up a whole new medium for Aboriginal artists to pursue.  Sam has had numerous exhibitions within Australia over the past 3 years.  Quality galleries such as Hogarths in Paddington three times, The Glass Artist Gallery, Glebe twice, both in the hub of Sydney.   Art mob of Hobart Tas. has seen the value of his works and exhibited him twice, Japinka in Freemantle, WA and Gecko in Broome WA.  His products in coasters, ring bowls, sushi plates and platters have shown to be very popular in tourism outlets across Australia.  His glass piece entered into the Northern Territory Museum Telstra Aboriginal arts award titled My Mothers Country, was a finalist in 2005. 

At the international level Sam has been represented at the Wheaton glass week, the SOFA conference in Chicago, USA, and has works housed in several prestigious galleries within America.  The Federal Government as a gift has purchased a replica of the Telstra final to Her Royal Highness Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Sam is presently working towards setting up his own art studio business in Albury, where he intends to develop other traditional products more closely associated with his Central Australian links.

Sam currently resides in Albury with his partner Nicky and their sons Leeroy and Sam.

Dr Gordon Briscoe, B/A (hons. hist.), MA, PhD, AO. Visiting Fellow, Hist, RSSS, ANU & AIATSIS, Canberra.