Is there a way to implement the ** operator on a custom object

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> Looks like it can simply be done in Python, no tp_as_mapping needed.

It's not that it isn't needed. You've just shown a way to add it using
Python code.

But, more to the point: extending collections.abc.Mapping may or may
not be possible in OP's case.

Also, if you are doing this through inheritance, this seems really
convoluted: why not just inherit from dict? -- less methods to
implement, less stuff to import etc.