Objective/Context:

The purpose of this paper is to examine ontological differences articulated by people as a result of the operation of an open-pit mine called Conga that would affect lagoons of utmost importance for local residents. In this context, peasants from El Tambo hamlet in northern Peru, a 3-hour drive away downstream from the Conga project area, have organized themselves to protect the lagoon against the mining expansion.

Methodology:

Based on ethnographic research between 2012 and 2014 in El Tambo, I argue that the relationality between the peasants and Mamacocha lagoon emerges from the reality of peasants’ experiences with water that started to become scarce. The concept of “nourishment” and “being born” appear in dialogues with the peasants, emphasizing the relationship between food crops, irrigation channels, artisanal channels, natural water springs and the lagoons.

Conclusions:

This study shows how different practices enact a world with radical differences. In this case, peasants design “on” the land and “with” the land respecting protocols with other entities, rejecting the idea that they are prepared to harvest potatoes at any cost and with any water. In the end, the inhabitants of El Tambo nourish themselves with water that carries the vitality of being born at the top of the lagoons. It is not a mere dispute in which water is considered a reality that is simply out there.

Originality:

This research shows that present conflicts, sometimes categorized as environmental conflicts, are really about fundamental premises about the world and life.

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