(Produced in cooperation with the artist himself, Fedor Vico (pronounced Vitso), who provided these cartoons. English translation by Walter Maksimovich.

Fedor Vico was born on November 9, 1944 in Eastern Slovakia. Graduate of the Vocational School of Bratislava (1962), where he majored in wood carving. His cartoons began to be published since he bacame 15, at first in a satirical magazine "Rohach", but gradually began to appear in various other domestic and foreign publications.
Fedor Vico has participated in many exhibits and competitions, where he has received many awards. Here we can see some of his cartoons in the "Il'ko Sova from Bayusova" series.
He was one of the founders, and after several attempts, has since 1994 become the editor of a satirical-humorous bi-weekly "Bumerant". He considers himself to be an ethnic Ruthenian (Rusyn), resides in Prashev in the Slovak Republic, at 2 Yarosha Street, tel. 091/731-474.
 
 

Look, the nations all over the world are not able to make themselves understood, although almost all their languages have been codified.

Be proud of being a Slovak, you crazy Ruthenian!

I travelled across the whole world in my life, and I have never forgotten my mother tongue. However, I can not reacall why.	I was...  I am.....  and I will be a Ruthenian. I was born as a Ruthenian......	Aren't you ashamed of asking money from the empty treasury of the young Slovak state? Don't you realize that the treasury of the Ruthenian folklore is inexhaustable?
I can not sleep. The dream of identity is coming back all the time.	Ruthenians? I know, I know: - the silent majority.	We're from the Ruthenian-Ukrainian studio of the Slovak Radio in Priashev. Please tell us something interesting about yourself. I was Ruthenian.... but I don't remember anything else.
How is it my son, that when you talk to me, even your mother can not understand you? You do not understand these matters. The reality is such, that Ukraine, not you, is my mother.	Who do you consider yourself to be? I was a Ruthenian, afterwards a Ukrainian worker, recently a Ruthenian-Ukrainian... But who I am, and will be... I swear i just don't know.	This is what I think. Our people have traveled far: from forceful Ukrainization to voluntary Slovakization.
And this, sonny, this is your mother tongue.	Since you, Vasyl, work on the railroad, why don't you find out if this Rusyn wagon of ours will get unhitched, to become hitched to somebody else.	All the peoples have the right for self determination. Even Slovaks and Ukrainians have nations, just like everybody else. Except for us Ruthenians.
What kind of a Ruthenian are you, man? Such nationality does not even exist. Don't you understand that you are a Ukrainian? You understand Slovak, don't you?	We Ruthenians used to be poor but honest. Today everything is in reverse, we are honest but poor.	Just take a look at the globe. Do you see any Ruthenians there, no you don't. We keep telling you, Ruthenians don't exist in this world.
I was a Rusyn (in Rusyn)......... Don't make a big deal out of it, pops, I used to be one, too. (in Slovak)