PENCHMI IN STONEHENGE: DRUM ACTIVATION + SUMMER SOLSTICE 2026

SPECIAL PENCHMI EDITION: SUMMER SOLSTICE DRUM ACTIVATION AT SACRED STONE CIRCLE STONEHENGE 2026

DEMBIS THIOUNG invites the PENCHMI community to join us in a very special edition and all that want to align with us.

Last year, we visited Stonehenge during the Summer & Winter Solstices, and the experiences were very powerful and deeply transformative. Now, following A PENCHMI SUMMER CAMP in Glastonbury, visiting the Avebury stone circle and other sacred ancient stones in Wales, Dembis received a clear call from Spirit — a call to return to the sacred stones, pay respects by bring the drums and the community together, to celebrate activating freedom frequencies for all.

WHAT IS THE SUMMER SOLSTICE?

It is the moment the sun reaches its highest point in the sky — the longest day and shortest night of the year. A portal of vitality, abundance, illumination, and expansion. It is the peak of the sun's power, when nature is in full bloom and life is expressed in its fullest form. And yet—just as a flower begins its journey toward seed—it is also the moment when the days begin to shorten and the cycle slowly turns inward once again.

WHY STONEHENGE?

Stonehenge is a megalithic monument built in the Stone Age, precisely designed in alignment with the sun's path during the solstices. On Summer Solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone and shines directly into the center of the circle — a celestial alignment that shows how ancient people honored the rhythms of the cosmos. Located on the Earth’s ley lines and said to be connected with the Heart Chakra of the planet, this is a site of deep spiritual significance and ancestral remembrance.

WHAT IS PENCHMI?

The word Penchmi ( in Senegalese Wolof is written “Penthmi)” is the word we use to describe the gathering of the ancestors, timeless/spaceless, as well as the gathering of the elders of the traditional Senegalese villages, in the center of the community under a baobab tree, to discuss all matters of life, freedom and peace, but most of all to remind us of the LOVE and RESPECT shared amongst each other. 

Dembis Thioung created PENCHMI: THE AFRICAN DRUM + DANCE + CHANT PORTAL a space for community connection and spiritual exploration through the ancestral technologies of traditional African drums (dundun, djembe, asiko, calabash, sabar, khine), ancestral rhythms, movement and sound. 

These sessions are hosted by the Senegalese most respected cultural value, the “Teranga”: the act to share and support each other always in happiness. Its core virtue is to measure wealth and abundance not for how much we have, but for how much we share and give to others. The “teranga” it’s the essence of the Senegalese culture.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THIS PENCHMI DRUM ACTIVATION IN STONEHENGE?

• A deep, long-lasting boost of vital energy

• Enhanced mental and physical well-being, focus and inner clarity

• A peaceful sensation of synchronization with nature’s rhythms

• Euphoria, a sense of belonging and collective unity

• A powerful moment of ancestral remembrance — reconnecting with your roots, your ancestors, your purpose and your power

WHO IS DEMBIS THIOUNG?

Dembis Thioung, Griot & Laube by blood and Baye Fall at heart, is a mesmerizing keeper of ancestral West African rhythms and a creator of new ones. A Senegalese master drum-maker, percussionist, educator, and community gatekeeper, he specializes in the powerful ancestral technology of Dundun, Djembe, Sabar, and Asico drums, bridging tradition and innovation through his artistry. 

Dembis Thioung, is a mesmerizing master of the dunduns - the melodic and hypnotic West African bass drums. The traditional West African Dundun, are a set of three double sided drums hit with sticks made by wood and cowskin that make up the HEARTBEAT, the MELODY and the SOUL of traditional West African ensemble djembe music. 

In the UK since 2010, Dembis has collaborated with artists and companies across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Based in North West London, he is the founder of PENCHMI: the African Drum + Dance + Chant Portal, where hecreates spaces for community connection and spiritual exploration. Lead member of BENE TALLY BAND & friends, he summons a collective of artists and a selection of the Penchmi dundunfolas, bringing the magic rhythms and the spirit of Africa to stages. He is also known for his GRIOT+BAYEFALL DRUM BLESSING, a solo act that blends rhythm, spirituality, and storytelling. This has opened & closed ceremonies, and has performed at the Soho House, Cafe Oto, Peckham Levels, Jamboree and Dalston Curve Gardens. He recently successfully launched PENCHMI IN SENEGAL, his first cultural trip to Dakar, offering students an immersive journey into the heart, spirit, and ancestral roots of Dembis Thioung; and he is now organizing a new edition of the PENCHMI portals: PENCHMI IN GLASTONBURY a 3 day camp festival in the Crops Not Shops fields, inviting drum world families together in sacred English land.

You can find more information on his website: www.dembisthioung.com

WHAT IS THE PLAN?

We will create a WhatsApp group for everyone who wants to align with us for the summer solstice celebration. We will share there the meet up point, alternative car park as well as all the plans for this magical sunset & sunrise celebrations. The whatsapp group will be closed after the event. You are responsible for organizing your own transport. We will send the full plan closer to the date. We will contact you via email sending you a link to join the Whatsapp group once you’ve booked your free ticket (donations & contributions welcomed)

Find here below the official schedule set by the English Heritage: 

SATURDAY 20 JUNE 2026

7PM -  ACCESS TO THE STONE CIRCLE OPENS

9.26PM SUNSET

4.52AM - SUNRISE

8AM - END OF ACCESS TO THE STONE CIRCLE

WHAT TO BRING?

Participants are encouraged to bring their own drum and small stool. 

A limited number of drums will be available for hire. Please contact us in advance if you need one (whatsapp: 07786005306; email: dembis.thioung@gmail.com). 

IMPORTANT

Stonehenge Summer Solstice is held within a protected World Heritage Site. Please note:

• No glass containers.

• No alcohol.

• No drugs.

• No open flames, candles, incense, smudge sticks, fireworks, or barbecues.

• No large bags.

• No tents, sleeping bags, or duvets.

Please read the full Conditions of Entry before attending:

Summer Solstice 2026 – Conditions of Entry (English Heritage)

We kindly ask everyone to respect the sacred nature of the site, fellow participants, and the land.

ENERGY EXCHANGE: £11.11 

This is a contribution toward the holding of this gathering — supporting the logistics, drum activation, communication and the preparations. 

In the spirit of Teranga, this exchange is not only financial, but a recognition of shared responsibility: what is received is also what is supported, so the circle can remain open, accessible and alive for all.

STAY IN TOUCH

Join our DUNDUN WOOD VILLAGE whatsapp group chat here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CJkAcvfpWxqAeHW3piBSk9

Instagram: @dembisthioung

Facebook: Dembis Thioung Page

Youtube:  Dembis Thioung

Email: dembis.thioung@gmail.com

Website: www.dembisthioung.com