Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa has lived a life of historic firsts.
She became the country's first female prime minister, after , who ruled Samoa for 22 years.
Before that, she was the country's first female cabinet minister, and deputy prime minister.
And her father was Samoa's very first prime minister.
Now, another first: Fiame is officially the first Samoan prime minister to be told that she should have got married so someone could "advise" her properly.
In a dramatic session of parliament last week, Fiame, Samoa's leader since 2021, was targeted with personal attacks from opponents from within her party.
None were more vivid than the insult about her marital status, hurled by MP Fuiono Tenina Crichton, a 74-year-old who Fiame incidentally fired as associate minister after he called for her removal from the party weeks earlier.
"If only there was someone who could advise you. Your leadership would have been remarkable if you had gotten married and someone would advise you," he said.
For weeks, her opponents within the Fa?atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party had been moving to oust her, after she sacked its chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt from cabinet.
But she emerged victorious for the second time in as many weeks, after those party members launched a no confidence vote.
"Everyone thought it was over for her," political commentator Tauili'ili Christian Malietoa-Brown said.
"The fact she's still standing speaks to her capability to weather the storm."
The personal insults triggered a new round of debate in Samoa about gender roles in the country and the Pacific more generally — a region where "big man culture" often reigns supreme.
But observers say Fiame's refusal to engage in the attacks is the secret to her seemingly unlikely survival as prime minister last week — and her long success as a politician.
Opponents target 'Iron Lady's' strong support base
The 67-year-old, dubbed the "Iron Lady of the Pacific", is an .
Samoa has the world's lowest representation of female parliamentarians, and Fiame is only the second female leader of an independent Pacific Island nation in history.
But in Samoa, being unmarried — and without children — is unusual, particularly for someone like Fiame who has the paramount chiefly title, known in Samoa as matai.
The issue has hung around her leadership since she led her party to victory, relegating Samoa's Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) into opposition for the first time in 40 years.
And now the gender card has well and truly been played.
Australian National University researcher and head of the Department of Pacific Affairs, Sonia Palmieri, said Fiame had maintained a strong support base ever since she was first elected to parliament four decades ago.
"These kinds of comments are used specifically to undercut that very strong support," she said.
"These are acts and words that are used to delegitimise women's role in politics ... There are some people who continuously try and wield the narrative that politics is really a place for men."
But she said Fiame was a political force in her own right, being the daughter of a paramount chief who was the nation's first prime minister, and having fought for her chiefly title after her father's death.
"She doesn't need a husband telling her what she should or shouldn't be doing," Dr Palmieri said.
'Always a better man'
The political turmoil began in January, when Fiame sacked her party's chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt from her ministry, after he refused to stand down while facing criminal charges.
His supporters then voted to expel her from the FAST party, and have been trying to replace her as prime minister since.
Fiame resisted pressure to step down.
She also threatened to advise Samoa's head of state to dissolve parliament and bring on a snap election if she lost a motion of no confidence.
Before the vote last week, the man trying to oust her made his true feelings known.
"There's always a better man," La'auli was quoted as saying by the Samoa Observer.
"We might believe there are no qualified or experienced individuals to step into those top roles, but that's not the case. There's always someone more capable for the job — someone chosen by God.
"We will not retreat simply because she is a woman or due to the respect we have for women."
Fiame herself did not respond to the taunts, which observers say are nothing new to the prime minister.
"She's been in parliament for decades, so she's heard everything under the sun," Mr Malietoa-Brown said.
"She's found the best way to address it, [and that] is just not saying anything at all, and not giving it any oxygen, because she doesn't want to create a side story.
"It's a very, very dignified response."
Fiame silent on 'scorched earth' attacks
Fiame comes from a line of chiefs on both sides of her family, and is said to bring self-assuredness to her roles in politics.
And, she has never sought to emphasise her gender in her political career, observers say.
"I found her to be one of the most formidable politicians I've ever met around the world," Dr Palmieri said.
"She comes with an aura of calm reflection, of legitimacy, because she has had that role for a long time."
Fiame declined requests by the ABC for comment and has so far not spoken publicly on the comments about her marital status.
In parliament, Fiame appeared unmoved by La'auli's attacks — described by Mr Malietoa-Brown as "scorched earth" in ferocity.
La'auli claimed her government was unconstitutional, blaming her for its failures.
[YouTube women in politics]"It is unfortunate that our family, once united, is now divided by land and sea due to your leadership," he said.
But the opposition Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) — led by former long-serving prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi — voted with Fiame and her ministers, a week after lodging its own unsuccessful no confidence motion against her.
A day later, Fiame held a rare press conference addressing the outcome.
"The recent decisions of parliament provide a clear response that my government has the confidence of the house to continue to lead the nation," she said.
"This decision by parliament reflects the will of the people as represented by their elected members of parliament."
Samoa's 'Games of Thrones' plays out in public eye
The political turbulence has been the talk of the nation, where the Samoan language phrase "fa'agutugutulua" — referring to two-faced behaviour — has trended on social media in forums discussing the events.
Unlike some episodes of political upheaval in Samoa's past, much of it has played out online.
While members of the public want an end to the uncertainty, opinions were divided on the way forward before last week's vote.
Some argued Fiame should resign to restore stability, while others applauded her for standing firm on her decision to dismiss La'auli.
Tamasau Taiupu Fonoti, from Salani, said she was saddened by the political situation.
"I think [Fiame] should resign and have everyone go back to the polls and vote for a new prime minister in the meantime," she said.
Apia resident Lagi Lotomaualalo said the events had left her confused, but she believed La'auli should not have to step down as minister while charges against him have yet to be proven.
"I believe that La'auli and Fiame should go back to running the government, I understand that it's a disagreement internally that has caused division but it would be nice to see them reconcile."
Daniel Seni, from Apia, said Fiame was trying to uphold the rule of law and La'auli should have stepped down as minister.
"That's why we're in this huge mess right now, because of this particular person trying to prioritise his personal interest."
Mr Malietoa-Brown expects Fiame will now survive as prime minister, having prevailed against the latest no confidence vote.
[YouTube Fiame]And for the people, the main worry was the economic consequences of the political instability.
"They're not actually worried about the Game of Thrones, House of Cards kind of episodes that are happening," Mr Malietoa-Brown said.
"Most of them are worried about the cost of living, the huge inflation and how prices are skyrocketing and showing no signs of going down."
