The Relationship between the Moso Settlements and the Mani Lumps

The Moso and Nasi minority groups inhabit the area around Lugu Lake, which also includes mani lumps that are associated with nature worship. The setting of the mani lumps differs from one village to another. This study aims to examine the relationship between the characteristics of the Moso settlements and settings of the mani lumps in addition to the functions of each mani lump. The results show that the function of the mani lumps may vary depending on the topography of the settlement, the adjacency between settlements, and the religious facilities in place. Many mani lumps have a view of the Goddess Mountain and may have been established according to the villages’ characteristics based on their inherited nature worship beliefs. Lugu Lake is currently undergoing tourism development because of its landscape, and cultural tourism activities based on nature worship with the mani lumps as the centerpiece are expected to be developed.