A household typically consists of the husband, wife, and children. Marriages are usually arranged by the parents. Sons or daughters remaining in the household immediately after marriage take on the responsibility of caring for younger dependents, preserving family land or wealth, and contributing to ritual feasts. Children who marry out of the family break these ties of household responsibilities. They also wear scarves, but never veils, as do most other Muslim women.
Men commonly wear western-style cotton shirts and slacks.
Today, nearly all of the Semendau are Shafiite Muslims . In each village, a mosque serves as the formal religious center, and most of the men attend Friday prayers. However, the historical influence of Hinduism in Sumatra has been great. For example, many rural people still hold some of their beliefs in spirits of the soil and the jungle. Unemployment in rural areas is high, often making it necessary for males to move to Sumatra's urban centers.