In article ,
(Mxsmanic) wrote:

Donna Evleth writes:

It doesn't. My own guess is the connection with "Indians", as in
native
Americans.

Native Americans aren't Indians. They may or may not be aboriginal.
Indians don't come from America.

But as you well know it was a common usage at one time.

(Anyway, aren't they First Peoples or something now? Or is that just
native Canadians?)