Esta tese é sobre a globalização e o impacto da ancestral capoeira angola na moderna e cosmopolita cidade de Nova York. A capoeira angola é ume estilo tradicional que se refere à ancestralidade africana. É uma antiga arte marcial afro-brasileira ensinada por um velho capoeirista da Bahia chamado João Grande. Ele possui uma escola na Rua 14, em Manhattan, e já recebeu diversas homenagens nos Estados Unidos. Mestre João Grande chegou em Nova York em 1990 e permanece ensinando seu conhecimento antigo para alunos de toda parte do mundo, pessoas atraídas pela multicultural Nova York. Sua história de vida é o foco dessa tese. Neste sentido, a pesquisa é uma tentativa de entender a importância das tradições em nossa vertiginosa sociedade moderna. Mais do que isso, tenta refletir sobre o papel da capoeira no processo histórico brasileiro, diante dos conflitos entre a ancestralidade africana e a construção da identidade nacional.

This thesis is about the globalization anda impact of ancient Capoeira Angola techniques in the modern and huge New York City. Capoeira angola is a traditional style of capoeira that remains to the African ancestry. It is an ancient Afro-Brazilian martial art taught by an elderly capoeirista from Bahia, called João Grande. His school is at 14th Street, in Union Square. He has received numerous awards in the United States, including a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey, in 1995. In September 2001, he was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is one of the most prestigious awards for practitioners of traditional arts in the US. Mestre João Grande arrived in New York in 1990 and still teaches his ancient knowledge to students from all around the world, people who comprise the multicultural New York City. His life history is the focus of the thesis. In this way, the research is an effort to understand the importance and survive of traditions in the midst of globalization in our modern society. More than that, it tries to understand the role of capoeira in the Brazilian historic process, before the conflicts between the African ancestry and the building of a national identity.