The following is a list of the items mentioned by the women as examples of Sambas Malay adat. By far, the largest sub-category is related to wedding rituals. There are also a number of rituals related to avoiding danger and giving thanks for good fortune. For this reason, these categories are given separate headings. See Ikram (2004) and Rivai (1997) for fuller descriptions and explanations of these rituals. Here, I give women's own explanations, which were not always consistent.

– Tuang minyak is performed when a woman is seven months pregnant with her first child, to keep the unborn baby safe in the womb and ensure a safe birth.

– Tepung tawar/akekah/potong rambut/gunting rambut is to pray for the well-being of a new-born baby (depending on the village, this can occur after 7, 9, or 40 days). May also involve pejajak/turun tanah, in which the baby's foot is placed on the ground. Only after this ritual is it deemed safe for the baby to leave the house.

– Mandi Tuhan is done from birth up to the age of 3 to keep the child safe from spiritual disturbances (‘godaan Setan’, ‘Roh gaibnya tidak menggangu’). In Paloh, it is supposedly performed when a child cries a lot.

– Hataman/Hattam is to celebrate a child learning how to recite the Qur’an.

– Sunatan is the circumcision of boys and, according to some respondents, girls.

– Miare kematian/ruwahan/bilangan hari/membaca Tahlil are prayers said for those who have died. This most commonly occurs on days 7, 15, 25, 40, and 100 after the death, but also as an annual remembrance for up to three years.

Wedding rituals:

– Lamaran is engagement, when the families set a wedding date.

– Arisan/pacoan is a form of mutual help to reduce the cost of the wedding by providing plates, tents, spices, oil, etc., as groups of volunteers cook the food, wash up, etc.

– Antar pekatan is where neighbours and fellow villagers take eggs, rice, oil, meat, etc., to the bride's family to help ease the cost of providing food to guests at wedding.