Eh, I think that's a little more fair on grounds of suing. Sure, other cultures didn't mind Sid Meier interpreting their famous leaders whatever way they want (though usually positive), but if that depiction of the famous leader is going to be a massive exposure to a once real life human being than I can understand some cultures, notably ones who often times get overlooked such as native ones, being upset someone outside of their tribe has decided what one of their famed leaders acted like.
Like I know another case where the Polynesian people sued Lego over Bionicle's use of their words in naming things which forced Lego to have to rename a lot of things. Similarly I also think Disney got in trouble with African groups for their use of Swahili words in the Lion King (though Disney either won the case or settled things out of court as they didn't change any names).
Well,
if this article matches what
Hugin is worried about, then I think there is a way Pokemon can incorporate the actual depiction of symbolism of the wendigo into a Pokemon:
- Make it a "humanoid". A lot of depictions of the wendigo is usually a form of werewolf or a beast with antlers, but if GF wants to be accurate I imagine a Pokemon version would be a lanky imp-ish creature with exposed fangs cause it has no lips. Probably not to make it too scary, since it has a heart of ice they could make it into an ice-covered creature (not exactly abominable snowman, which we have in the form of Abomasnow).
- I'd make it a Physical-based Ice/Ghost-type. That way it doesn't step on the toes of either Weavile (while it sounds like Dark-type I think Ghost more matches the spiritual nature of the wendigo legend) and Froslass (which is a Special attacker). From there I would make its dex description be sorta an ice/snow version of Sandyghast: it's a spirit of winter formed by the greed & selfishness of those who perished in the snow. They are always hungry because their ice body can't hold the food it eats; to fulfill its ever-hunger it possesses people by freezing their hearts forcing them to steal food and valuables to sell to buy food for it.
As for the Mothman, it's a cryptid so it's fair use.
(Are literally based on the four major Hawaiian gods, I don't think you can get more sacred then gods a current culture has as a basis of their culture's beliefs)
Oh, you did mention the Tapus. I didn't hear any backlash. Now, maybe this is because Pokemon did speak with a Polynesian association to understand the significance of the gods thus could properly depict them as Pokemon. But these are also major Legendary Pokemon (and based on gods) so that would be an understandable procedure. I don't think the wendigo falls under "sacred creature" as it's essentially meant to be a boogeyman-like creature, a monster to scare people straight. "If you keep on being greedy you'll become a murderous, cannibalistic monster"!