Ernestine Hayes was raised in Juneau, and from the age of fifteen lived in California.She moved back to Alaska when she was 40 years old, and at the age of 55, she graduated from the University of Alaska Southeast, magna cum laude. In 2003, she graduated from University of Alaska Anchorage as Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Literary Arts.She currently teaches at University of Alaska Southeast and is associated faculty for the University of Alaska Anchorage low-residence MFA program.Hayes is an active supporter of Native rights and decolonization. For just over a year, she wrote a column, "Edge of the Village", for the Juneau Empire.

Anthologies

Essays

Blonde Indian is the memoir of Tlingit writer and story-teller Ernestine Hayes. Because of Hayes' fair hair, her grandmother sang out to her "Blonde Indian, blonde Indian" as Hayes danced along.

Book Review Blonde Indian: An Alaska Native Memoir Author:Becca Gercken, Studies in American Indian Literaturehttp://muse.jhu.edu/journals/studies_in_american_indian_literatures/v021/21.2.gercken.htmlBook Review Observatory Books, Dee Longenbaughhttp://www.observatorybooks.com/Blonde_Indian.htm