ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

West Indian

Okay kiddo, so the term "West Indian" is used to describe people who come from a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea called the West Indies. Some of these islands are really tiny and some are bigger, like Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago.

These islands were historically colonized by European countries like Spain, France, and England, which means that the people who live there have a mix of different cultures and ethnicities. This is why West Indians often have a unique blend of African, European, and Indigenous heritage.

The term "West Indian" can also refer to the cultural practices and traditions that are common among people from these islands, like music, food, and ways of speaking. For example, you might hear people in the West Indies talking with a particular accent or using words and phrases that are unique to the region.

So in short, "West Indian" means someone who comes from or has roots in the West Indies and shares certain cultural traits with other people from that region.