The Winili

The Winili were a Germanic Tribe whose name was changed to that of the Langobards when the wife of Woden, Frigg, turned his bed around to face the people of the Winili who, when he saw them, exclaimed - 'Who are these Longbeards" - thus naming them and having to give victory to them. This may well have been an old 'tale' but it is nonetheless interesting.

This very short piece has been done because I came across the name of a Belgic Tribe called by the name Venelli who dwelt here in England before the Romans, and throughout the Roman occupation of England. I have shown how the Suessiones (another Belgic Tribe) had the figure of Woden being swallowed by the Fenris Wolf on some of their coins, and these too dwelt here in England at the same time. 

The names 'Venelli' and 'Winili' (or 'Winilli') are nearly the same and we must consider the Romanisation of the names of the tribes mentioned at the time. This tribe were very closely akin to the English having the same Divine Ancestor - Sceaf-Ing. Kris Kershaw, in a work on Odin and the Germanic Mannerbunde, mentions the name in relation to the idea of 'to howl', thus equating the tribe with the wolf or dog.