Won-Ldy Paye as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center

Won-Ldy Paye is from the northeastern rice farming region of Liberia. He is a member of the Tlo Ker Mehn, the class of professional entertainers who are keepers of the oral tradition. Growing up in the rice field, Paye was trained by his grandmother to remember and retell the stories of the Dan people. Paye came to the U.S. in 1983 and is now known as a renowned Liberian artist and performer, an award-winning children’s book author, and an unofficial ambassador for the Liberian culture. He has appeared across the U.S. and abroad, with performances that include his native dance and instruments. “Won-Ldy combines his grandmother’s griot training with his father’s drumming to engage audiences in what he calls simply play.” – Margaret Read MacDonald, author and storyteller