Parishes in Sweden's Kemi Lappmark
In Seasons and Rythms of Life, the editor observes, "The Ounas river flows from north to south through the parish of Kittilä, which together with the parishes of Sodankyla (to the east), Inari and Utsjoki (to the north) comprised Sweden's Kemi lappmark before 1809.

The village of Sodankyla is approximately 50 miles, as the crow flies, east of the village of Kaukonen, near which Matte probably lived. Kaukonen lies on the west bank of the Ounas river, east of Yllästunturi mountain.

The parishes of Sweden's northernmost lappmark came under the bishop of Uppsala. The parishes were many days' travel and a cultural world apart from the seat of the see. However, a few Lapps started making the long journey from Kemi to Uppsala during Matte Kaukonen's time.

In The Lapps, Collinder says, "The so-called Skyttean school for Lapp boys was founded [in Lycksele] in 1631 [the same year in which Matte Kaukonen was confirmed in the parish of Sodankyla]. The aim of this school was to prepare a restricted number of Lapp boys to be teachers and even to open an academic career for them. The school did not fall short of this modest ambition. In the years between 1633 and 1722 at least thirteen Lapp students wrote their names in the album of Uppsala University."