Interview with Dominic (Buddy) Nardocchio Jr.

Dominic (Buddy) Nardocchio Jr., was born on July 9, 1931 in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. He is the son of Dominic Nardocchio Sr., a shoemaker, and one of the 22 men interned from Nova Scotia. Buddy recalls his family history starting with his grandparents. His maternal grandparents, the Vivas, first immigrated to Philadelphia, USA, before finally settling in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. There, Buddy’s mother, Annie Viva was born and raised. Buddy’s paternal grandparents immigrated to Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1916 from Miranda, Italy. At that time, Buddy’s father, Dominic, was just 11 years old and did not speak a word of English. Buddy recounts growing up in the 1930s and being around his father’s shoe repair shop. He says his father received a contract from the federal government repairing shoes for the Canadian Forces. When his father was arrested on June 10, 1940, Buddy was just nine years old and the oldest of eight children. He says his life changed quite a bit during the 21 months that his father was interned, because he had to help his mother out a lot. After his father’s release, Buddy continued to be mistreated in school, and so he was sent to Halifax to finish high school. Buddy also talks about his automotive career, running a few dealerships for General Motors in the Cape Breton area.