ðə kˈɜːɹənt ᵻlˈæbɚɹˌeɪt fˈɔːɹm ʌvðə mˈʌdmɛn tɹɐdˈɪʃən, wˌɪtʃ ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd fɹʌm ɐ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɛvən kˈʌltʃɚɹəl fˈɛɹ, ɪz lˈaɪkli tə hɐvbɪn ˈɪnfluːənst baɪ aʊtsˈaɪd ˈɛlɪmənts sˈʌtʃ ɐz tˈʊɹ ˈɑːpɚɹˌeɪɾɚz, ɹˈaɪɾɚz, ænd ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ɐdmˈɪnɪstɹˌeɪɾɚz.
The current elaborate form of the Mudmen tradition, which originated from a 1957 cultural fair, is likely to have been influenced by outside elements such as tour operators, writers, and government administrators.