Women have always been at the forefront of progressive movements and on the battlefield but their braveness is often forgotten or neglected over time. According to historical accounts of the First Franco-Dahomean War, in the 1890s fierce female fighters, often referred to as Amazons lead the pack and battled the French soldiers. This historical fact is exactly what inspired French street artist YZ Yseult to dedicate a project to these female warriors. She fittingly named the series Amazone.

Wheat pasted on walls in a few cities on the west coast of Senegal, south of Dakar, these proud images are a reflection of the strength and determination these brave women possessed. While doing research for her project in Africa, she’s compiling a photographic archive with locations that are perfect for these series. The project has just begun but maybe in two years these faces of forgotten female warriors may pop up all over Africa. Have a look at some images below and visit YZ‘s site to check out what else she’s working on.