Feel the Grass Grow

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On November 24, 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces signed a revised peace accord, signaling an end to over fifty years of conflict. This work explores the often-overlooked aspects of transitioning from war to peace, highlighting the long-standing struggles of campesinos to protect their land and lives before the national accord. Campesino social leaders engage with the challenges posed by the state's post-accord reconstruction efforts, emphasizing that "peace is not signed, peace is built." Drawing from nearly a decade of ethnographic and participatory research, Angela Jill Lederach introduces the concept of "slow peace." This approach does not diminish the urgency of defending territory amidst ongoing political and environmental violence in post-accord Colombia. Instead, it emphasizes the campesino call for "slowness," which refocuses grassroots peace practices rooted in multigenerational struggles for territorial liberation. By examining campesino theories of "the times (los tiempos)," the work sheds light on a holistic understanding of peacebuilding. The experiences of campesino leaders reveal a conception of time that is embodied, affective, and place-based, prioritizing the everyday where relationships are strengthened, ancestral memories are honored, and ecologies are revitalized.