Lavau Nalu grew up carrying stories—of his people, his land, and the Pacific. These stories shaped not only who he is, but how he sees the world: as a place where knowledge, memory, and creativity are deeply connected to identity and community.

Trained in medicine across Australia, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea, Lavau has worked at the intersection of health and culture, learning that wellbeing extends beyond the clinic and into the stories we tell, the traditions we honor, and the communities we nurture. His journey has been one of bridging worlds: the technical with the human, the global with the local, and home with diaspora.

As the co-founder of Archive Ples, Lavau creates spaces for Papua New Guinea’s visual and cultural narratives to be seen, heard, and felt. Through photography, storytelling, and conversation, Archive Ples celebrates the everyday and the extraordinary, connecting people across continents while honoring the voices, wisdom, and creativity of Pacific communities.

Today, Lavau continues to explore the power of storytelling as a tool for justice, connection, and understanding. Whether mentoring young creatives, engaging in cultural research, or advocating for Indigenous voices in global spaces, his work is rooted in a simple belief: that stories carry the strength, memory, and heart of a people—and when they are shared, they can transform the world.