The central research question of this thesis addresses the interrelations between bi- and plurilingualism, legal, economic, (language-) policy-related and socio-cultural influence factors and translation activities in the Waorani indigenous community of Ecuadors Amazon rainforest. An in-depth examination investigates which people, institutions and organizations determine the language(s) spoken in the community and which actors due to which special characteristics decide on whether or not to interpret as well as how translation activities evolve in practice. Drawing upon the field studys findings, the aim is to establish parameters of interpreting and translating that serve as the basis for new conceptualizations of translation. In line with ethnographic life-world analysis (Lebensweltliche Ethnographie), the methodological framework for addressing the research questions includes 15 months of ethnographic participating observation in villages and towns, ero-epic dialogues (ero-epische Gespräche) and interviews as well as a questionnaire survey. One result shows the deployment of translational action by bilingual Waorani who interpret for monolingual Waorani. This comes to the fore as fluid Going-Between for, with or against the community, and is hard to locate for all communication participants. However, it also shown how decisions based on translational action to not speak Spanish, to continue speaking the indigenous language Waoterero, to not interpret for community outsiders as well as to voice warnings or to further the elders cultural practices enable community-based resistance. Additional findings characterize translation as merely prestige-oriented acts employed by the majority society. In conclusion and building on five parameters derived from these and other results, approaches of translation such as universal bridge-building are critically discussed.