As the muddied hordes launch out in to the cold dark of the opening Monday morning it is important that no living soul betrays the moment by being clean. The vats of ceremonial mud have been loaded on to the tray of a pick-up and are tended to and guarded by the High Priest of Mud whose sacred responsibility it is to ensure that the moment is not defiled by clean bodies. Involuntary anointing is a regular event as the Cleans try to infiltrate and dilute. For those anointed at the place of leaving the progression of time requires frequent re-mudding as wine and time lower inhibitions and the mud coating don't seem quite as bad as first thought and requires more.

The mystic connection between mud and riddum on J'ouvert morning is highlighted by this pic. Trevor Pollonais and Roger Rostant both make their contribution to the moment. Trying to hide behind muddied clothes their cleanish bodies will be fully anointed when they step down from the alter of riddum.......dey can't get away wid dat!!

A group of well anointed High Priest of mud confer on the first sight of daylight, deciding whether to invoke the "ritual of return" to avoid getting caught out in the daylight fully muddied. For in the evil light of morning, the costume of darkness is pulled back revealing a bunch of drunk people covered in coloured mud.

The morning sun has painted the sky with blue, and the mud covered people return home. Tired and ready for bed, the persistent sounds of the riddum section alone keep them going, on to the job of getting clean again. On to the rest of Carnival and the cleaner side of the bacchanal.