[3] This characterization was made by Robert Knox Dentan, an anthropologist who studied the Semai in the 1960s, though he offered a more nuanced view after subsequent fieldwork.

It is thought that the Semai are the descendants of the original population of Southeast Asia, arriving on the Malay peninsula approximately sometime during 8000 to 6000 BC.

These numbers, however, do not include other peoples of Semai or mixed descent, most of whom have assimilated into other cultures and have abandoned their ancestral tribal lands in order to seek better employment and education opportunities, especially in the larger cities.

[citation needed] A genetic study conducted in 1995 by a team of biologists from the National University of Singapore has shown a close relationship between the Semai and the Khmer of Cambodia.

The Semai also supplement their diet with hunting and fishing, as well as raising chickens (for their own consumption) and goats and ducks (to sell to the Malays).

[10] This concept is also shared by the rural Malays, of whom, many are descended from mixed marriages with the Semais and other Orang Asli people.

They carry with them the wisdom and lore of the Semais, including their non-violent and pacifist tendencies, harmonized with other prevailing religions of their adoption.

This might be the reason why Semai tend to have an ambilocal residence pattern after marriage,[6] or shuttle between living with the wife or husband's kinsman every few weeks, slowly lengthening the time period stayed until the couple decides to settle down.

[5] The ambilocal residence pattern may also explain why few marriages are polygynous,[5] for both practical reasons in managing travel and because couples tend to separate after long periods of living apart,[5] and divorce and remarriages are fairly common.

[16][17][18] In addition, Bruce Knauft argues that while Dentan reported only two murders between 1955 and 1977, this was in the context of a study population of 300 and would give a homicide rate of 30.3 per 100,000 people, three times higher than the United States in the 1990s (though this has been contested due to issues concerning the relevant base population, which could yield substantially lower homicide estimates).

This is the cause of Semai's emphasis on community harmony and non-violence, as violence threatens to destroy their only perceived source of safety.

[5] The importance of punan in Semai life can be seen in their food sharing norms, leadership style, method of child rearing, for example.

[citation needed] Disputes in the Semai community are resolved by holding a becharaa, or public assembly, at the headman's house.

However, Semai parents use fear of strangers and violence in nature such as thunderstorms and lightning to control children's behavior if ever it becomes necessary.

A concept similar to karma is also prevalent where children are told stories of sprites (mambang in Malay) and forest spirits who will take retribution if their sanctity is violated.

[24][25] The concept of mengalah or giving in is most cherished where children since young are taught to 'give way' to others so as to preserve the peace and harmony of the village.

- an act that is Tarlaid is one that is said to be able to rouse the anger of spirits and bring forth natural calamities; Semai parents use the fear that accompanies these storms to encourage the children to control their own aggressive impulses.

Parents may also threaten to hit their children and raise a fist or machete, though they do not actually carry out the threat, with the worst the child receiving being a tap.

[27] These games include forms of sports that encourage physical activity and exertions so that the body becomes tired and are therefore made ready for sleep and the subsequent dreaming.

[citation needed] One of the most important beings associated with thunder are the Nāga,[31] a group of huge, subterranean dragons that ravage villages during thunder-squalls and are associated with rainbows.

The Semai have restrictions on eating animals that straddle two groups, for example snakes are considered inedible because they live on land (like menhar) but have scales and lack legs (like ka).