Viral Hunt for Mystery Children in 1932 Photo Captivates New Zealand

A faded photograph taken in 1932 has captured New Zealand’s imagination, as internet sleuths across the country try to identify two mystery children pictured on horseback.

The image, shared to Reddit’s r/newzealand community under the title “North Island 1932 – Who are these kids?”, shows two children sitting proudly atop horses on what appears to be a rural coastal property.

According to the post’s author, the picture was taken by their grandmother, who lived in the North Island nearly 100 years ago.

“My grandmother took this photo somewhere in the North Island in 1932,” the user wrote. “I think it was taken near a beach on the east coast. I know it’s a very long shot, but my hope is that someone knows these kids. I’d love to get this photo to their whānau.”

Some have suggested it may have been taken on the East Coast, possibly in Ngāti Porou territory.

“It does look like the East Coast,” one user wrote. “The children look of Ngāti Porou descent.”

Others drew on family memories to offer potential leads.

“That seems oddly familiar – I think I’ve seen a copy of that photo before,” one user said. “My grandparents lived in Ōpōtiki at that time. Pākehā, but involved with iwi around the East Cape. Church stuff. Their kids were born from the early ’20s to the ’30s.”

Some commenters reflected on the passage of time, noting the children would now be nearly 100 years old if still alive.