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.
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.