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Baraga, Friderik (1797-1868) left Slovenia in 1830 and worked among the North American Indians as a missionary till his death. Baraga devoted himself to studying the language of the natives, producing a dictionary and grammar book of the Ojibwa language in 1837. The English-Ojibwa Dictionary (Detroit 1853) is valuable as the historic document of the extinct language.

BARAGA, FRIDERIK (1797-1868) - born at Mala vas near Dobrnič in Dolenjska. He was a restless spirit. He first studied law in Vienna and upon finishing law school decided to study theology. As a chaplain, he became popular among his flock near Kranj as a preacher and a supporter and protector of the poor and ill. After several years, however, his strong desire for missionary work led him far from Slovenia to the missions of North America. He left his native land in 1830 to work among the North American Indians, thus blazing a trail for all the Slovene missionaries and priests who followed. His great knowledge of the Indians, especially of the Ottawa and Ojibwa tribes living on the shores of the Great Lakes, their language and customs, and their way of life which he described in several books, echoed throughout the United States of the time and Europe and, of course, at home. Within a year after his arrival, he had already written his first prayer book in the Indian language and later wrote another five. He taught the Indians to read and write. He also wrote an interesting book on the history and life of the Indians originally published in German, and in shorter form in Slovene. Among other things, the book recounts the still very popular story about the Indian princess Pocahontas who saved the life of the Englishman John Smith. Today the story is known around the world, largely thanks to the Walt Disney movie.

He was named the first Slovene bishop in 1853. He is buried in the Marquette cathedral.

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