The Human Embryo in the Light of African Culture

Life is a precious gift from the Creator to every living being. As far as man is concerned, the gift of life entrusted to him by God requires him to be more aware of its inestimable value and to assume responsibility for it. Is the human embryo a thing or a person? This question, which is often asked in Western societies to distinguish between "persons" who have dignity, and "things" or "goods" that have a "price", has begun, for decades, to influence African cultures, which are still traditionalist for the most part, in the area of the value to be accorded to human life in general and to nascent life in particular. It is therefore imperative to inventory not only the data of faith, but also the socio-cultural logics regarding the protection of human life and dignity. This is the quest that the author has set out to accomplish by taking a closer look at the Goun culture of southeast Benin.