  Light pollution is actively destroying our ability to see the stars. Many
Indigenous traditions and knowledge systems around the world are based on the
stars, and the peoples' ability to observe and interpret stellar positions and
properties is of critical importance for daily life and cultural continuity.
The erasure of the night sky acts to erase Indigenous connection to the stars,
acting as a form of ongoing cultural and ecological genocide. Efforts to
reduce, minimise, or eliminate light pollution are being achieved with varying
degrees of success, but urban expansion, poor lighting design, and the
increased use of blue-light emitting LEDs as a cost-effective solution is
worsening problems related to human health, wildlife, and astronomical heritage
for the benefit of capitalistic economic growth. We provide a brief overview of
the issue, illustrating some of the important connections that the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia maintain with the stars, as well
as the impact growing light pollution has on this ancient knowledge. We propose
a transdisciplinary approach to solving these issues, using a foundation based
on Indigenous philosophies and decolonising methodologies.
