Books by Vera Rake

Books by Vera Rake

Vera Rake is the pen name of Raquel A. Rivera — visual artist, initiated Orisha practitioner, and author whose work is rooted in Yoruba tradition, ancestral memory, and the living presence of the Orishas.

Her books are bilingual works of spiritual storytelling — written in both English and Spanish — that honor the sacred covenants, unspoken truths, and cultural inheritance passed down through generations. Each title is an invitation to remember.

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Olorun is Sick and Tired

The sun — Olorun — feels so agitated that the Creator was taking so long to form the world, that he vomits a fiery stone from his belly.

Watercolor and gouache on paper -2026

Water Can't Extinguish All Flames

No amount of water could extinguish the fiery ball that burned at the core of what would be Earth. A heap of dirt was hastily thrown upon it by the Creator in hopes to pacify it.

Watercolor and gouache on paper -2026

Oroíña

In wails and laments, Oroíña doesn't understand how she ended up alone with no escape from her situation. Olorun tries to "fix" the situation by giving her a son, Agayú, to accompany her. Yet she moans and groans to this day.

Watercolor and gouache on paper -2026

Mute by Molten Residue

Oroíña's passion and rage will never extinguish. Her son, Agayú, speaks her rage. Oroíña is the creative powerful force in all of us. Your creations — your "sons" — are the product of your passion and your rage.

Watercolor and gouache on paper -2026