As for the "red" Indians...there are numerous thoughts on how this label came to be used. I'll give you two. The word, "red", has evolved from a very vague notion into a much more specific range of shades (including "true red"). For that reason it is not surprising that it was used to describe the skin pigment of the Native Americans the early settlers saw even though "brown" may now be considered more accurate. Some Indians, when preparing for battle, were also known to have smeared themselves with certain berry juices, producing a red coloration designed to make them appear more fearsome.